diff --git a/include/ec_globals.h b/include/ec_globals.h
index a58c8bd15..ffe5feb56 100644
--- a/include/ec_globals.h
+++ b/include/ec_globals.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct ec_conf {
    int connection_buffer;
    int connect_timeout;
    int sampling_rate;
+   int packet_update_count;
    int close_on_eof;
    int aggressive_dissectors;
    int skip_forwarded;
diff --git a/share/etter.conf.v4 b/share/etter.conf.v4
index b54a702e0..c249e1ca0 100644
--- a/share/etter.conf.v4
+++ b/share/etter.conf.v4
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ connect_timeout = 5           # seconds
 
 [stats]
 sampling_rate = 50            # number of packets 
+packet_update_count = 50      # number of packets
 
 [misc]
 close_on_eof = 1              # boolean value
diff --git a/share/etter.conf.v6 b/share/etter.conf.v6
index 770332192..0f576ad81 100644
--- a/share/etter.conf.v6
+++ b/share/etter.conf.v6
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ connect_timeout = 5           # seconds
 
 [stats]
 sampling_rate = 50            # number of packets 
+packet_update_count = 50      # number of packets
 
 [misc]
 close_on_eof = 1              # boolean value
diff --git a/src/ec_conf.c b/src/ec_conf.c
index ff0b81d8b..86ba7dfe2 100644
--- a/src/ec_conf.c
+++ b/src/ec_conf.c
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ static struct conf_entry connections[] = {
 
 static struct conf_entry stats[] = {
    { "sampling_rate", NULL },
+   { "packet_update_count", NULL },
    { NULL, NULL },
 };
 
@@ -183,12 +184,12 @@ static void init_structures(void)
    set_pointer(mitm, "ndp_poison_equal_mac", &GBL_CONF->ndp_poison_equal_mac);
    set_pointer(mitm, "icmp6_probe_delay", &GBL_CONF->icmp6_probe_delay);
 #endif
-
    set_pointer(connections, "connection_timeout", &GBL_CONF->connection_timeout);
    set_pointer(connections, "connection_idle", &GBL_CONF->connection_idle);
    set_pointer(connections, "connection_buffer", &GBL_CONF->connection_buffer);
    set_pointer(connections, "connect_timeout", &GBL_CONF->connect_timeout);
    set_pointer(stats, "sampling_rate", &GBL_CONF->sampling_rate);
+   set_pointer(stats, "packet_update_count", &GBL_CONF->packet_update_count);
    set_pointer(misc, "close_on_eof", &GBL_CONF->close_on_eof);
    set_pointer(misc, "store_profiles", &GBL_CONF->store_profiles);
    set_pointer(misc, "aggressive_dissectors", &GBL_CONF->aggressive_dissectors);
diff --git a/src/ec_decode.c b/src/ec_decode.c
index d8aa9d24f..7ba10a444 100644
--- a/src/ec_decode.c
+++ b/src/ec_decode.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 
 /* globals */
 
+static int count = 0;
 static struct dec_entry *protocols_table;
 static unsigned protocols_num;
 static bool table_sorted = false;
@@ -86,9 +87,13 @@ void ec_decode(u_char *param, const struct pcap_pkthdr *pkthdr, const u_char *pk
 
    CANCELLATION_POINT();
 
-   /* start the timer for the stats */
-   stats_half_start(&GBL_STATS->bh);
-  
+   count++;
+   if(count = 1)
+   {
+      /* start the timer for the stats */
+      stats_half_start(&GBL_STATS->bh);
+   }
+
    /* XXX -- remove this */
 #if 0
    if (!GBL_OPTIONS->quiet)
@@ -233,10 +238,13 @@ void ec_decode(u_char *param, const struct pcap_pkthdr *pkthdr, const u_char *pk
    
    /* free the structure */
    packet_destroy_object(&po);
-   
-   /* calculate the stats */
-   stats_half_end(&GBL_STATS->bh, pkthdr->caplen);
-   
+   if(count == GBL_CONF->packet_update_count)
+   {
+      /* calculate the stats */
+      stats_half_end(&GBL_STATS->bh, pkthdr->caplen);
+      count = 0;
+   }
+
    CANCELLATION_POINT();
 
    return;
diff --git a/src/ec_dispatcher.c b/src/ec_dispatcher.c
index d747e58ea..c3682cd0b 100644
--- a/src/ec_dispatcher.c
+++ b/src/ec_dispatcher.c
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 #include <ec_stats.h>
 #include <ec_sleep.h>
 
+/* globals */
+static int count = 0;
 
 /* this is the PO queue from bottom to top half */
 struct po_queue_entry {
@@ -97,10 +99,14 @@ EC_THREAD_FUNC(top_half)
          ec_usleep(1); // 1µs
          continue;
       }
-  
-      /* start the counter for the TopHalf */
-      stats_half_start(&GBL_STATS->th);
-       
+
+      count++;
+      if(count = 1)
+      {
+         /* start the counter for the TopHalf */
+         stats_half_start(&GBL_STATS->th);
+      }
+
       /* remove the packet form the queue */
       STAILQ_REMOVE_HEAD(&po_queue, e, next);
      
@@ -140,9 +146,13 @@ EC_THREAD_FUNC(top_half)
       packet_destroy_object(e->po);
       SAFE_FREE(e->po);
       SAFE_FREE(e);
-      
-      /* start the counter for the TopHalf */
-      stats_half_end(&GBL_STATS->th, pck_len);
+
+      if(count == GBL_CONF->packet_update_count)
+      {
+         /* start the counter for the TopHalf */
+         stats_half_end(&GBL_STATS->th, pck_len);
+         count = 0;
+      }
    } 
 
    return NULL;