diff --git a/backend/src/server/app.ts b/backend/src/server/app.ts
index 51cef185a..00f26f6be 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/app.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/app.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@ import cors from "@fastify/cors";
 import fastifyEtag from "@fastify/etag";
 import fastifyFormBody from "@fastify/formbody";
 import helmet from "@fastify/helmet";
-import type { FastifyRateLimitOptions } from "@fastify/rate-limit";
-import ratelimiter from "@fastify/rate-limit";
 import fasitfy from "fastify";
 import { Knex } from "knex";
 import { Logger } from "pino";
@@ -19,7 +17,6 @@ import { getConfig } from "@app/lib/config/env";
 import { TQueueServiceFactory } from "@app/queue";
 import { TSmtpService } from "@app/services/smtp/smtp-service";
 
-import { globalRateLimiterCfg } from "./config/rateLimiter";
 import { fastifyErrHandler } from "./plugins/error-handler";
 import { registerExternalNextjs } from "./plugins/external-nextjs";
 import { serializerCompiler, validatorCompiler, ZodTypeProvider } from "./plugins/fastify-zod";
@@ -67,10 +64,6 @@ export const main = async ({ db, smtp, logger, queue, keyStore }: TMain) => {
     await server.register(fastifyFormBody);
     await server.register(fastifyErrHandler);
 
-    // Rate limiters and security headers
-    if (appCfg.isProductionMode) {
-      await server.register<FastifyRateLimitOptions>(ratelimiter, globalRateLimiterCfg());
-    }
     await server.register(helmet, { contentSecurityPolicy: false });
 
     await server.register(maintenanceMode);
diff --git a/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts b/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
index 1695ac313..1d9793264 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/config/rateLimiter.ts
@@ -1,20 +1,36 @@
 import type { RateLimitOptions, RateLimitPluginOptions } from "@fastify/rate-limit";
+import { FastifyRequest } from "fastify";
 import { Redis } from "ioredis";
 
 import { getConfig } from "@app/lib/config/env";
+import { ActorType } from "@app/services/auth/auth-type";
+
+const getDistinctRequestActorId = (req: FastifyRequest) => {
+  if (req.auth.actor === ActorType.USER) {
+    return req.auth.user.username;
+  }
+  if (req.auth.actor === ActorType.IDENTITY) {
+    return `identity-${req.auth.identityId}`;
+  }
+  if (req.auth.actor === ActorType.SERVICE) {
+    return (
+      `${req.auth.serviceToken.createdByEmail}-service-token` || `service-token-null-creator-${req.auth.serviceTokenId}`
+    ); // when user gets removed from system
+  }
+  return req.realIp;
+};
 
 export const globalRateLimiterCfg = (): RateLimitPluginOptions => {
   const appCfg = getConfig();
   const redis = appCfg.isRedisConfigured
     ? new Redis(appCfg.REDIS_URL, { connectTimeout: 500, maxRetriesPerRequest: 1 })
     : null;
-
   return {
     timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
     max: 600,
     redis,
     allowList: (req) => req.url === "/healthcheck" || req.url === "/api/status",
-    keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+    keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
   };
 };
 
@@ -22,39 +38,39 @@ export const globalRateLimiterCfg = (): RateLimitPluginOptions => {
 export const readLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
   max: 600,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
 
 // POST, PATCH, PUT, DELETE endpoints
 export const writeLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
   max: 50,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
 
 // special endpoints
 export const secretsLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   // secrets, folders, secret imports
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
-  max: 1000,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  max: 60,
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
 
 export const authRateLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
   max: 60,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
 
 export const inviteUserRateLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
   max: 30,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
 
 export const creationLimit: RateLimitOptions = {
   // identity, project, org
   timeWindow: 60 * 1000,
   max: 30,
-  keyGenerator: (req) => req.realIp
+  keyGenerator: (req) => getDistinctRequestActorId(req)
 };
diff --git a/backend/src/server/routes/index.ts b/backend/src/server/routes/index.ts
index 75c43a9aa..1e5cb3bf9 100644
--- a/backend/src/server/routes/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/server/routes/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import ratelimiter, { FastifyRateLimitOptions } from "@fastify/rate-limit";
 import { Knex } from "knex";
 import { z } from "zod";
 
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ import { trustedIpServiceFactory } from "@app/ee/services/trusted-ip/trusted-ip-
 import { TKeyStoreFactory } from "@app/keystore/keystore";
 import { getConfig } from "@app/lib/config/env";
 import { TQueueServiceFactory } from "@app/queue";
-import { readLimit } from "@app/server/config/rateLimiter";
+import { globalRateLimiterCfg, readLimit } from "@app/server/config/rateLimiter";
 import { apiKeyDALFactory } from "@app/services/api-key/api-key-dal";
 import { apiKeyServiceFactory } from "@app/services/api-key/api-key-service";
 import { authDALFactory } from "@app/services/auth/auth-dal";
@@ -839,6 +840,11 @@ export const registerRoutes = async (
     user: userDAL
   });
 
+  // Rate limiters and security headers
+  if (appCfg.isProductionMode) {
+    await server.register<FastifyRateLimitOptions>(ratelimiter, globalRateLimiterCfg());
+  }
+
   await server.register(injectIdentity, { userDAL, serviceTokenDAL });
   await server.register(injectPermission);
   await server.register(injectAuditLogInfo);