diff --git a/examples/socket_bench.cpp b/examples/socket_bench.cpp
index 690e15f..99c43d1 100644
--- a/examples/socket_bench.cpp
+++ b/examples/socket_bench.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,12 @@ void socket_worker(const SocketBenchConfig& cfg, std::atomic<bool>& stop, Socket
     const bool recv_done = !cfg.receive || stats.received_packets >= static_cast<uint64_t>(cfg.iterations);
     if (send_done && recv_done) { break; }
 
-    if (cfg.send && !send_done) {
+    // UDP servers must learn the peer address from an inbound packet before
+    // they can transmit, so withhold the server's first send until at least
+    // one RX packet has arrived. The client always transmits eagerly.
+    const bool waiting_for_peer = cfg.server && cfg.receive && stats.received_packets == 0;
+
+    if (cfg.send && !send_done && !waiting_for_peer) {
       auto* msg = daqiri::create_tx_burst_params();
       daqiri::set_header(msg, port, queue, 1, 1);
 
diff --git a/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.cpp b/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.cpp
index 3ccec89..3e4776b 100644
--- a/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.cpp
+++ b/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.cpp
@@ -739,7 +739,10 @@ bool SocketMgr::send_udp_burst(EndpointState& ep, BurstParams* burst, size_t* se
   if (ep.socket_cfg.mode_ == SocketMode::SERVER) {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(state_mutex_);
     if (!ep.udp_peer_valid) {
-      DAQIRI_LOG_ERROR("UDP server has no learned peer yet; cannot transmit");
+      if (!ep.udp_peer_missing_logged) {
+        DAQIRI_LOG_DEBUG("UDP server has no learned peer yet; cannot transmit");
+        ep.udp_peer_missing_logged = true;
+      }
       return false;
     }
     peer = ep.udp_peer_addr;
@@ -1285,6 +1288,7 @@ void SocketMgr::udp_rx_loop(int if_index) {
       std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(state_mutex_);
       ep->udp_peer_addr = peers[static_cast<size_t>(received - 1)];
       ep->udp_peer_valid = true;
+      ep->udp_peer_missing_logged = false;
     }
 
     for (int i = 0; i < received; ++i) {
diff --git a/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.h b/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.h
index 0027ba1..e56abb8 100644
--- a/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.h
+++ b/src/managers/socket/daqiri_socket_mgr.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ class SocketMgr : public Manager {
     std::shared_ptr<RxQueueState> rx_queue_state;
     sockaddr_in udp_peer_addr{};
     bool udp_peer_valid = false;
+    bool udp_peer_missing_logged = false;
     uintptr_t primary_conn_id = 0;
   };