diff --git a/code/game/objects/items/devices/whistle.dm b/code/game/objects/items/devices/whistle.dm
index d017a430b88a..331df3ffa006 100644
--- a/code/game/objects/items/devices/whistle.dm
+++ b/code/game/objects/items/devices/whistle.dm
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 	actions_types = list(/datum/action/item_action)
 
 	var/volume = 60
-	var/spamcheck = 0
+	var/spam_cooldown_time = 10 SECONDS
+	COOLDOWN_DECLARE(spam_cooldown)
 
 /obj/item/device/whistle/attack_self(mob/user)
 	..()
@@ -28,14 +29,14 @@
 		..()
 
 /obj/item/device/whistle/proc/whistle_playsound(mob/user)
-	if (spamcheck)
+	if(!COOLDOWN_FINISHED(src, spam_cooldown))
+		to_chat(user, SPAN_DANGER("You are out of breath after using [src]! Wait [COOLDOWN_SECONDSLEFT(src, spam_cooldown)] second\s."))
 		return
 
 	user.visible_message(SPAN_WARNING("[user] blows into [src]!"))
 	playsound(get_turf(src), 'sound/items/whistle.ogg', volume, 1, vary = 0)
 
-	spamcheck = 1
-	addtimer(VARSET_CALLBACK(src, spamcheck, FALSE), 3 SECONDS)
+	COOLDOWN_START(src, spam_cooldown, spam_cooldown_time)
 
 /obj/item/device/whistle/MouseDrop(obj/over_object)
 	if(ishuman(usr))