diff --git a/src/banman.cpp b/src/banman.cpp
index 9933c829c57..47d64a8f31c 100644
--- a/src/banman.cpp
+++ b/src/banman.cpp
@@ -67,14 +67,36 @@ void BanMan::ClearBanned()
     if (m_client_interface) m_client_interface->BannedListChanged();
 }
 
-bool BanMan::IsBanned(CNetAddr net_addr)
+int BanMan::IsBannedLevel(CNetAddr net_addr)
 {
+    // Returns the most severe level of banning that applies to this address.
+    // 0 - Not banned
+    // 1 - Automatic misbehavior ban
+    // 2 - Any other ban
+    int level = 0;
+    auto current_time = GetTime();
     LOCK(m_cs_banned);
     for (const auto& it : m_banned) {
         CSubNet sub_net = it.first;
         CBanEntry ban_entry = it.second;
 
-        if (sub_net.Match(net_addr) && GetTime() < ban_entry.nBanUntil) {
+        if (current_time < ban_entry.nBanUntil && sub_net.Match(net_addr)) {
+            if (ban_entry.banReason != BanReasonNodeMisbehaving) return 2;
+            level = 1;
+        }
+    }
+    return level;
+}
+
+bool BanMan::IsBanned(CNetAddr net_addr)
+{
+    auto current_time = GetTime();
+    LOCK(m_cs_banned);
+    for (const auto& it : m_banned) {
+        CSubNet sub_net = it.first;
+        CBanEntry ban_entry = it.second;
+
+        if (current_time < ban_entry.nBanUntil && sub_net.Match(net_addr)) {
             return true;
         }
     }
@@ -83,11 +105,12 @@ bool BanMan::IsBanned(CNetAddr net_addr)
 
 bool BanMan::IsBanned(CSubNet sub_net)
 {
+    auto current_time = GetTime();
     LOCK(m_cs_banned);
     banmap_t::iterator i = m_banned.find(sub_net);
     if (i != m_banned.end()) {
         CBanEntry ban_entry = (*i).second;
-        if (GetTime() < ban_entry.nBanUntil) {
+        if (current_time < ban_entry.nBanUntil) {
             return true;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/banman.h b/src/banman.h
index 69f62be3689..a1a00309dd9 100644
--- a/src/banman.h
+++ b/src/banman.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ public:
     void Ban(const CNetAddr& net_addr, const BanReason& ban_reason, int64_t ban_time_offset = 0, bool since_unix_epoch = false);
     void Ban(const CSubNet& sub_net, const BanReason& ban_reason, int64_t ban_time_offset = 0, bool since_unix_epoch = false);
     void ClearBanned();
+    int IsBannedLevel(CNetAddr net_addr);
     bool IsBanned(CNetAddr net_addr);
     bool IsBanned(CSubNet sub_net);
     bool Unban(const CNetAddr& net_addr);
diff --git a/src/net.cpp b/src/net.cpp
index 0490ccd6db5..be249b44665 100644
--- a/src/net.cpp
+++ b/src/net.cpp
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ struct NodeEvictionCandidate
     bool fBloomFilter;
     CAddress addr;
     uint64_t nKeyedNetGroup;
+    bool prefer_evict;
 };
 
 static bool ReverseCompareNodeMinPingTime(const NodeEvictionCandidate &a, const NodeEvictionCandidate &b)
@@ -832,7 +833,8 @@ bool CConnman::AttemptToEvictConnection()
             NodeEvictionCandidate candidate = {node->GetId(), node->nTimeConnected, node->nMinPingUsecTime,
                                                node->nLastBlockTime, node->nLastTXTime,
                                                HasAllDesirableServiceFlags(node->nServices),
-                                               node->fRelayTxes, node->pfilter != nullptr, node->addr, node->nKeyedNetGroup};
+                                               node->fRelayTxes, node->pfilter != nullptr, node->addr, node->nKeyedNetGroup,
+                                               node->m_prefer_evict};
             vEvictionCandidates.push_back(candidate);
         }
     }
@@ -857,6 +859,14 @@ bool CConnman::AttemptToEvictConnection()
 
     if (vEvictionCandidates.empty()) return false;
 
+    // If any remaining peers are preferred for eviction consider only them.
+    // This happens after the other preferences since if a peer is really the best by other criteria (esp relaying blocks)
+    //  then we probably don't want to evict it no matter what.
+    if (std::any_of(vEvictionCandidates.begin(),vEvictionCandidates.end(),[](NodeEvictionCandidate const &n){return n.prefer_evict;})) {
+        vEvictionCandidates.erase(std::remove_if(vEvictionCandidates.begin(),vEvictionCandidates.end(),
+                                  [](NodeEvictionCandidate const &n){return !n.prefer_evict;}),vEvictionCandidates.end());
+    }
+
     // Identify the network group with the most connections and youngest member.
     // (vEvictionCandidates is already sorted by reverse connect time)
     uint64_t naMostConnections;
@@ -937,7 +947,11 @@ void CConnman::AcceptConnection(const ListenSocket& hListenSocket) {
     // on all platforms.  Set it again here just to be sure.
     SetSocketNoDelay(hSocket);
 
-    if (m_banman && m_banman->IsBanned(addr) && !whitelisted)
+    int bannedlevel = m_banman ? m_banman->IsBannedLevel(addr) : 0;
+
+    // Don't accept connections from banned peers, but if our inbound slots aren't almost full, accept
+    // if the only banning reason was an automatic misbehavior ban.
+    if (!whitelisted && bannedlevel > ((nInbound + 1 < nMaxInbound) ? 1 : 0))
     {
         LogPrint(BCLog::NET, "connection from %s dropped (banned)\n", addr.ToString());
         CloseSocket(hSocket);
@@ -961,6 +975,7 @@ void CConnman::AcceptConnection(const ListenSocket& hListenSocket) {
     CNode* pnode = new CNode(id, nLocalServices, GetBestHeight(), hSocket, addr, CalculateKeyedNetGroup(addr), nonce, addr_bind, "", true);
     pnode->AddRef();
     pnode->fWhitelisted = whitelisted;
+    pnode->m_prefer_evict = bannedlevel > 0;
     m_msgproc->InitializeNode(pnode);
 
     LogPrint(BCLog::NET, "connection from %s accepted\n", addr.ToString());
diff --git a/src/net.h b/src/net.h
index 9c477f6db6b..73b0b9fad3d 100644
--- a/src/net.h
+++ b/src/net.h
@@ -651,6 +651,7 @@ public:
     // the network or wire types and the cleaned string used when displayed or logged.
     std::string strSubVer GUARDED_BY(cs_SubVer), cleanSubVer GUARDED_BY(cs_SubVer);
     CCriticalSection cs_SubVer; // used for both cleanSubVer and strSubVer
+    bool m_prefer_evict{false}; // This peer is preferred for eviction.
     bool fWhitelisted{false}; // This peer can bypass DoS banning.
     bool fFeeler{false}; // If true this node is being used as a short lived feeler.
     bool fOneShot{false};