diff --git a/backend/cmd/api/main.go b/backend/cmd/api/main.go
index 2983a57d7..1e27ecb76 100644
--- a/backend/cmd/api/main.go
+++ b/backend/cmd/api/main.go
@@ -63,8 +63,11 @@ func main() {
 		}(cfg.Metrics.Address)
 	}
 
-	ratelimit.Init()
-	router.Use(ratelimit.HttpMiddleware)
+	if cfg.Frontend.RatelimitEnabled {
+		log.Infof("enabling ratelimit")
+		ratelimit.Init()
+		router.Use(ratelimit.HttpMiddleware)
+	}
 
 	srv := &http.Server{
 		Handler:      router,
diff --git a/backend/pkg/commons/types/config.go b/backend/pkg/commons/types/config.go
index 95b5dbc9a..943bfb4aa 100644
--- a/backend/pkg/commons/types/config.go
+++ b/backend/pkg/commons/types/config.go
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ type Config struct {
 			DiamondMonth  int `yaml:"diamondMonth" envconfig:"FRONTEND_RATELIMITS_DIAMOND_MONTH"`
 		} `yaml:"ratelimits"`
 		RatelimitUpdateInterval time.Duration `yaml:"ratelimitUpdateInterval" envconfig:"FRONTEND_RATELIMIT_UPDATE_INTERVAL"`
+		RatelimitEnabled        bool          `yaml:"ratelimitEnabled" envconfig:"FRONTEND_RATELIMIT_ENABLED"`
 		SessionSecret           string        `yaml:"sessionSecret" envconfig:"FRONTEND_SESSION_SECRET"`
 		SessionSameSiteNone     bool          `yaml:"sessionSameSiteNone" envconfig:"FRONTEND_SESSION_SAMESITE_NONE"`
 		SessionCookieDomain     string        `yaml:"sessionCookieDomain" envconfig:"FRONTEND_SESSION_COOKIE_DOMAIN"`