This topic explains common symptoms related to rate limiting, their possible causes, and recommended adjustments. Use this information to fine-tune configurations and resolve issues effectively.

The following table lists typical issues and how to address them:
Symptom Possible cause Recommended adjustment
Frequent denies early in bursts burst_capacity is too low Increase burst_capacity to 2–3 times the max_requests_per_second value.
Spiky latency even without denies Bucket depletion combined with jitter Lower max_requests_per_second if upstream systems are overloaded, or add downstream caching to smooth traffic.
All clients throttled simultaneously global mode enabled unintentionally Set global=false to ensure per-client fairness.
Single runaway client unthrottled Client IDs not identified correctly Ensure each client sets a distinct client_id. Verify this using audit logs.