diff --git a/b2/b2.go b/b2/b2.go
index f28630b83..a4991a1b5 100644
--- a/b2/b2.go
+++ b/b2/b2.go
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ type Fs struct {
 	authMu        sync.Mutex                   // lock for authorizing the account
 	pacer         *pacer.Pacer                 // To pace and retry the API calls
 	uploadTokens  chan struct{}                // control concurrency of uploads
+	extraTokens   chan struct{}                // extra tokens for multipart uploads
 }
 
 // Object describes a b2 object
@@ -248,6 +249,7 @@ func NewFs(name, root string) (fs.Fs, error) {
 		srv:          rest.NewClient(fs.Config.Client()).SetErrorHandler(errorHandler),
 		pacer:        pacer.New().SetMinSleep(minSleep).SetMaxSleep(maxSleep).SetDecayConstant(decayConstant),
 		uploadTokens: make(chan struct{}, fs.Config.Transfers),
+		extraTokens:  make(chan struct{}, fs.Config.Transfers),
 	}
 	// Set the test flag if required
 	if *b2TestMode != "" {
@@ -255,9 +257,10 @@ func NewFs(name, root string) (fs.Fs, error) {
 		f.srv.SetHeader(testModeHeader, testMode)
 		fs.Debug(f, "Setting test header \"%s: %s\"", testModeHeader, testMode)
 	}
-	// Fill up the upload tokens
+	// Fill up the upload and extra tokens
 	for i := 0; i < fs.Config.Transfers; i++ {
 		f.returnUploadToken()
+		f.extraTokens <- struct{}{}
 	}
 	err = f.authorizeAccount()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -371,6 +374,69 @@ func (f *Fs) returnUploadToken() {
 	f.uploadTokens <- struct{}{}
 }
 
+// Help count the multipart uploads
+type multipartUploadCounter struct {
+	f           *Fs
+	uploadToken chan struct{}
+}
+
+// Create a new upload counter. This gets an upload token for
+// exclusive use by this multipart upload - the other tokens are
+// shared between all the multipart uploads.
+//
+// Call .finished() when done to return the upload token.
+func (f *Fs) newMultipartUploadCounter() *multipartUploadCounter {
+	m := &multipartUploadCounter{
+		f:           f,
+		uploadToken: make(chan struct{}, 1),
+	}
+	f.getUploadToken()
+	m.uploadToken <- struct{}{}
+	return m
+}
+
+// Gets an upload token for a multipart upload
+//
+// This gets one token only from the first class tokens.  This means
+// that the multiplart upload is guaranteed at least one token as
+// there is one first class token per possible upload.
+//
+// Pass the return value to returnMultipartUploadToken
+func (m *multipartUploadCounter) getMultipartUploadToken() bool {
+	// get the upload token by preference
+	select {
+	case <-m.uploadToken:
+		return true
+	default:
+	}
+	// ...otherwise wait for the first one to appear.
+	//
+	// If both uploadToken and extraTokens are ready at this point
+	// (unlikely but possible) and we get an extraToken instead of
+	// an uploadToken this will not cause any harm - this
+	// multipart upload will get an extra upload slot temporarily.
+	select {
+	case <-m.uploadToken:
+		return true
+	case <-m.f.extraTokens:
+		return false
+	}
+}
+
+// Return a multipart upload token retreived from getMultipartUploadToken
+func (m *multipartUploadCounter) returnMultipartUploadToken(firstClass bool) {
+	if firstClass {
+		m.uploadToken <- struct{}{}
+	} else {
+		m.f.extraTokens <- struct{}{}
+	}
+}
+
+// Mark us finished with this upload counter
+func (m *multipartUploadCounter) finished() {
+	m.f.returnUploadToken()
+}
+
 // Return an Object from a path
 //
 // If it can't be found it returns the error fs.ErrorObjectNotFound.
diff --git a/b2/upload.go b/b2/upload.go
index cdb7dd31f..cb43adc70 100644
--- a/b2/upload.go
+++ b/b2/upload.go
@@ -240,6 +240,8 @@ func (up *largeUpload) Upload() error {
 	errs := make(chan error, 1)
 	var wg sync.WaitGroup
 	var err error
+	uploadCounter := up.f.newMultipartUploadCounter()
+	defer uploadCounter.finished()
 	fs.AccountByPart(up.o) // Cancel whole file accounting before reading
 outer:
 	for part := int64(1); part <= up.parts; part++ {
@@ -264,10 +266,10 @@ outer:
 
 		// Transfer the chunk
 		// Get upload Token
-		up.f.getUploadToken()
+		token := uploadCounter.getMultipartUploadToken()
 		wg.Add(1)
-		go func(part int64, buf []byte) {
-			defer up.f.returnUploadToken()
+		go func(part int64, buf []byte, token bool) {
+			defer uploadCounter.returnMultipartUploadToken(token)
 			defer wg.Done()
 			err := up.transferChunk(part, buf)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -276,7 +278,7 @@ outer:
 				default:
 				}
 			}
-		}(part, buf)
+		}(part, buf, token)
 
 		remaining -= reqSize
 	}