diff --git a/src/misc1.c b/src/misc1.c
index bc927b1..7c2f26c 100644
--- a/src/misc1.c
+++ b/src/misc1.c
@@ -3685,16 +3685,30 @@
     {
 	if (!((bo_flags & val) || (bo_flags & BO_ALL)))
 	{
-	    if (p_vb
-#ifdef FEAT_GUI
-		    /* While the GUI is starting up the termcap is set for the
-		     * GUI but the output still goes to a terminal. */
-		    && !(gui.in_use && gui.starting)
+#ifdef ELAPSED_FUNC
+	    static int		did_init = FALSE;
+	    static ELAPSED_TYPE	start_tv;
+
+	    /* Only beep once per half a second, otherwise a sequence of beeps
+	     * would freeze Vim. */
+	    if (!did_init || ELAPSED_FUNC(start_tv) > 500)
+	    {
+		did_init = TRUE;
+		ELAPSED_INIT(start_tv);
 #endif
-		    )
-		out_str(T_VB);
-	    else
-		out_char(BELL);
+		if (p_vb
+#ifdef FEAT_GUI
+			/* While the GUI is starting up the termcap is set for
+			 * the GUI but the output still goes to a terminal. */
+			&& !(gui.in_use && gui.starting)
+#endif
+			)
+		    out_str_cf(T_VB);
+		else
+		    out_char(BELL);
+#ifdef ELAPSED_FUNC
+	    }
+#endif
 	}
 
 	/* When 'verbose' is set and we are sourcing a script or executing a