diff --git a/sharedstate.lua b/sharedstate.lua
index b2fd1aa..3243680 100644
--- a/sharedstate.lua
+++ b/sharedstate.lua
@@ -183,8 +183,11 @@ function sharedstate.set(key, value)
 		local errormsg="sharedstate: Key " .. key .. " has not been initialized."
 		error(errormsg)
 	end
-	pings.sharedstate_recv(resolve_index(key), value)
-	-- pings.sharedstate_recv_named(key, value)
+	-- don't bother sending unchanged values
+	if value ~= get_value(key) then
+		-- pings.sharedstate_recv(resolve_index(key), value)
+		pings.sharedstate_recv_named(key, value)
+	end
 end
 
 ---Queue entries for sending