A method, system, and computer program product for a diagnostic heartbeat throttling are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A component, executing using a processor and a memory in a data processing system, sends diagnostic heartbeat packets over a communication link at a first rate, wherein a diagnostic heartbeat packet is a packet comprises a header, a set of heartbeat parameters, and a set of diagnostic attributes. The component detects a change in data traffic over the communication link. The component changes a rate of sending diagnostic heartbeat packets from the first rate to a second rate responsive to the change in the data traffic over the communication link.