There is provided a method of controlling aerosol production in an aerosol-generating device including a heater including at least one heating element, an aerosol-forming substrate disposed and configured to be heated by the heating element, and a power source configured to provide power to the heating element; the method including providing a period of gas flow over the substrate, the gas flow rate varying during the period, providing power to the heating element such that the substrate is heated and volatile components of the substrate are entrained in the gas flow, thereby forming an entrained gas flow, and allowing the entrained gas flow to cool such that the volatile components condense and form an aerosol, wherein the power provided to the heating element during the period is controlled such that one or more physical and/or chemical characteristics of the aerosol are maintained at a substantially constant value during the period.