Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods, performed by a first node in an integrated access backhaul (IAB) network, for flow control of data transmission from a base station to a plurality of user equipment (UEs) via the IAB network. Such embodiments can include detecting a reduction in data transmission throughput in the first node, and determining that the reduction in data transmission throughput is due to congestion in one or more particular downstream nodes in the IAB network. Such embodiments can also include sending a flow-control message to an upstream node in the IAB network, wherein the flow-control message identifies one or more nodes, in the IAB network, for which a flow-control operation is requested in relation to data transmitted from the upstream node. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a second node (e.g., upstream from the first node) and IAB nodes configured to perform such methods.