diff --git a/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts b/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
index 6c92de62c..0f6903773 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
@@ -52,6 +52,15 @@ export const inviteUserRateLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
 };
 
+export const mfaRateLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
+  timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
+  max: 20,
+  keyGenerator: (req) => {
+    // fallback to IP to avoid global rate limiting when authorization is set to empty
+    return req.headers.authorization?.split(" ")[1] || req.realIp;
+  }
+};
+
 export const creationLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   // identity, project, org
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
diff --git a/backend/src/server/routes/v2/mfa-router.ts b/backend/src/server/routes/v2/mfa-router.ts
index 973804c7c..1c685866d 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/routes/v2/mfa-router.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/routes/v2/mfa-router.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import jwt from "jsonwebtoken";
 import { z } from "zod";
 
 import { getConfig } from "@app/lib/config/env";
-import { writeLimit } from "@app/server/config/rateLimiter";
+import { mfaRateLimit } from "@app/server/config/rateLimiter";
 import { AuthModeMfaJwtTokenPayload, AuthTokenType } from "@app/services/auth/auth-type";
 
 export const registerMfaRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProvider) => {
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export const registerMfaRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProvider) => {
     method: "POST",
     url: "/mfa/send",
     config: {
-      rateLimit: writeLimit
+      rateLimit: mfaRateLimit
     },
     schema: {
       response: {
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export const registerMfaRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProvider) => {
     url: "/mfa/verify",
     method: "POST",
     config: {
-      rateLimit: writeLimit
+      rateLimit: mfaRateLimit
     },
     schema: {
       body: z.object({