Chloroprene was polymerized in emulsion, using a redox system as initiator. With a rosin derivative as surfactant, gel formation was avoided until ca. 70% conversion, but when a reactive maleic hemiester surfactant was used, gel could appear at conversions as low as 5%. The purpose of this paper is to show how this problem of early gel formation can be controlled via the flux of radicals entering the particles. Using more initiator leads to shorter polymer chains, a delayed onset of gel formation, and paradoxically to slower polymerizations.