Technologies are provided for analyzing packet loss in network packet streams using windowed loss durations. A computing device can be configured to detect a first loss period in a network packet stream and a second, subsequent loss period in the network packet stream. The computing device can determine a number of packets received in the stream between the two loss periods, and can compare this number of packets to a specified recovery window length. If the number of packets received between the two loss periods is less than the recovery window length, then the computing device can treat the two loss periods, and the packets received between the two loss periods, as a single period of packet loss. The packet loss period can be treated as a single loss event for the purposes of analyzing network packet stream quality of experience and/or tuning packet loss compensation mechanisms.