diff --git a/src/qt/coincontroldialog.cpp b/src/qt/coincontroldialog.cpp
index 81b2597c3b0a3..cbc41f3416ef7 100644
--- a/src/qt/coincontroldialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/coincontroldialog.cpp
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ void CoinControlDialog::updateLabels(WalletModel *model, QDialog* dialog)
         nBytes = nBytesInputs + ((CoinControlDialog::payAmounts.size() > 0 ? CoinControlDialog::payAmounts.size() + 1 : 2) * 34) + 10; // always assume +1 output for change here
 
         // Priority
-        double mempoolEstimatePriority = mempool.estimatePriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
+        double mempoolEstimatePriority = mempool.estimateSmartPriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
         dPriority = dPriorityInputs / (nBytes - nBytesInputs + (nQuantityUncompressed * 29)); // 29 = 180 - 151 (uncompressed public keys are over the limit. max 151 bytes of the input are ignored for priority)
         sPriorityLabel = CoinControlDialog::getPriorityLabel(dPriority, mempoolEstimatePriority);
 
@@ -550,10 +550,8 @@ void CoinControlDialog::updateLabels(WalletModel *model, QDialog* dialog)
         // Fee
         nPayFee = CWallet::GetMinimumFee(nBytes, nTxConfirmTarget, mempool);
 
-        // Allow free?
-        double dPriorityNeeded = mempoolEstimatePriority;
-        if (dPriorityNeeded <= 0)
-            dPriorityNeeded = AllowFreeThreshold(); // not enough data, back to hard-coded
+        // Allow free? (require at least hard-coded threshold and default to that if no estimate)
+        double dPriorityNeeded = std::max(mempoolEstimatePriority, AllowFreeThreshold());
         fAllowFree = (dPriority >= dPriorityNeeded);
 
         if (fSendFreeTransactions)
@@ -649,8 +647,9 @@ void CoinControlDialog::updateLabels(WalletModel *model, QDialog* dialog)
     double dFeeVary;
     if (payTxFee.GetFeePerK() > 0)
         dFeeVary = (double)std::max(CWallet::GetRequiredFee(1000), payTxFee.GetFeePerK()) / 1000;
-    else
-        dFeeVary = (double)std::max(CWallet::GetRequiredFee(1000), mempool.estimateFee(nTxConfirmTarget).GetFeePerK()) / 1000;
+    else {
+        dFeeVary = (double)std::max(CWallet::GetRequiredFee(1000), mempool.estimateSmartFee(nTxConfirmTarget).GetFeePerK()) / 1000;
+    }
     QString toolTip4 = tr("Can vary +/- %1 satoshi(s) per input.").arg(dFeeVary);
 
     l3->setToolTip(toolTip4);
@@ -686,7 +685,7 @@ void CoinControlDialog::updateView()
     QFlags<Qt::ItemFlag> flgTristate = Qt::ItemIsSelectable | Qt::ItemIsEnabled | Qt::ItemIsUserCheckable | Qt::ItemIsTristate;
 
     int nDisplayUnit = model->getOptionsModel()->getDisplayUnit();
-    double mempoolEstimatePriority = mempool.estimatePriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
+    double mempoolEstimatePriority = mempool.estimateSmartPriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
 
     std::map<QString, std::vector<COutput> > mapCoins;
     model->listCoins(mapCoins);
diff --git a/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp b/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
index 0ee08a1b0c609..e764d75b2a9cd 100644
--- a/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/sendcoinsdialog.cpp
@@ -633,7 +633,8 @@ void SendCoinsDialog::updateSmartFeeLabel()
         return;
 
     int nBlocksToConfirm = defaultConfirmTarget - ui->sliderSmartFee->value();
-    CFeeRate feeRate = mempool.estimateFee(nBlocksToConfirm);
+    int estimateFoundAtBlocks = nBlocksToConfirm;
+    CFeeRate feeRate = mempool.estimateSmartFee(nBlocksToConfirm, &estimateFoundAtBlocks);
     if (feeRate <= CFeeRate(0)) // not enough data => minfee
     {
         ui->labelSmartFee->setText(BitcoinUnits::formatWithUnit(model->getOptionsModel()->getDisplayUnit(), CWallet::GetRequiredFee(1000)) + "/kB");
@@ -644,7 +645,7 @@ void SendCoinsDialog::updateSmartFeeLabel()
     {
         ui->labelSmartFee->setText(BitcoinUnits::formatWithUnit(model->getOptionsModel()->getDisplayUnit(), feeRate.GetFeePerK()) + "/kB");
         ui->labelSmartFee2->hide();
-        ui->labelFeeEstimation->setText(tr("Estimated to begin confirmation within %n block(s).", "", nBlocksToConfirm));
+        ui->labelFeeEstimation->setText(tr("Estimated to begin confirmation within %n block(s).", "", estimateFoundAtBlocks));
     }
 
     updateFeeMinimizedLabel();
diff --git a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
index d51b8ddaef627..9152a59cdf36f 100644
--- a/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
+++ b/src/wallet/wallet.cpp
@@ -2033,14 +2033,10 @@ bool CWallet::CreateTransaction(const vector<CRecipient>& vecSend, CWalletTx& wt
                 if (fSendFreeTransactions && nBytes <= MAX_FREE_TRANSACTION_CREATE_SIZE)
                 {
                     // Not enough fee: enough priority?
-                    double dPriorityNeeded = mempool.estimatePriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
-                    // Not enough mempool history to estimate: use hard-coded AllowFree.
-                    if (dPriorityNeeded <= 0 && AllowFree(dPriority))
-                        break;
-
-                    // Small enough, and priority high enough, to send for free
-                    if (dPriorityNeeded > 0 && dPriority >= dPriorityNeeded)
-                        break;
+                    double dPriorityNeeded = mempool.estimateSmartPriority(nTxConfirmTarget);
+                    // Require at least hard-coded AllowFree.
+                    if (dPriority >= dPriorityNeeded && AllowFree(dPriority))
+                            break;
                 }
 
                 CAmount nFeeNeeded = GetMinimumFee(nBytes, nTxConfirmTarget, mempool);
@@ -2131,12 +2127,14 @@ CAmount CWallet::GetMinimumFee(unsigned int nTxBytes, unsigned int nConfirmTarge
     if (fPayAtLeastCustomFee && nFeeNeeded > 0 && nFeeNeeded < payTxFee.GetFeePerK())
         nFeeNeeded = payTxFee.GetFeePerK();
     // User didn't set: use -txconfirmtarget to estimate...
-    if (nFeeNeeded == 0)
-        nFeeNeeded = pool.estimateFee(nConfirmTarget).GetFee(nTxBytes);
-    // ... unless we don't have enough mempool data, in which case fall
-    // back to the required fee
-    if (nFeeNeeded == 0)
-        nFeeNeeded = GetRequiredFee(nTxBytes);
+    if (nFeeNeeded == 0) {
+        int estimateFoundTarget = nConfirmTarget;
+        nFeeNeeded = pool.estimateSmartFee(nConfirmTarget, &estimateFoundTarget).GetFee(nTxBytes);
+        // ... unless we don't have enough mempool data for our desired target
+        // so we make sure we're paying at least minTxFee
+        if (nFeeNeeded == 0 || (unsigned int)estimateFoundTarget > nConfirmTarget)
+            nFeeNeeded = std::max(nFeeNeeded, GetRequiredFee(nTxBytes));
+    }
     // prevent user from paying a non-sense fee (like 1 satoshi): 0 < fee < minRelayFee
     if (nFeeNeeded < ::minRelayTxFee.GetFee(nTxBytes))
         nFeeNeeded = ::minRelayTxFee.GetFee(nTxBytes);