diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.example.yaml b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.example.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9bc3741
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.example.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Pulse Sensor Proxy Configuration
+# This file is optional. If not provided, the proxy will use sensible defaults.
+
+# Network Configuration
+# Specify which networks are allowed to connect to the proxy
+# If not specified, the proxy will auto-detect host IP addresses
+allowed_source_subnets:
+  - "127.0.0.1/32"       # Localhost
+  - "192.168.0.0/24"     # Local network
+
+# Peer Authorization
+# Specify which UIDs/GIDs are allowed to connect
+# Required when running Pulse in a container (use mapped UID/GID from container)
+allowed_peer_uids: [100999]  # Container pulse user UID
+allowed_peer_gids: [100996]  # Container pulse group GID
+
+# ID-Mapped Root Authentication
+# Allow connections from ID-mapped root users (for LXC containers)
+allow_idmapped_root: true
+allowed_idmap_users:
+  - root
+
+# Metrics Server
+# Address for Prometheus metrics endpoint
+metrics_address: "127.0.0.1:9127"
+
+# Rate Limiting (Optional)
+# Control how frequently peers can make requests to prevent abuse
+# Adjust these values based on your deployment size:
+#   - Small (1-3 nodes): Use defaults (1000ms, burst 5)
+#   - Medium (4-10 nodes): 500ms, burst 10
+#   - Large (10+ nodes): 250ms, burst 20
+rate_limit:
+  per_peer_interval_ms: 1000  # Minimum milliseconds between requests per peer (1000ms = 1 qps)
+  per_peer_burst: 5            # Number of requests allowed in a burst (supports up to 5 simultaneous requests)
+
+# Default values if not specified:
+#   per_peer_interval_ms: 1000 (1 second = 1 qps = 60 requests/min)
+#   per_peer_burst: 5
diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.go b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.go
index 70f5205..aa779af 100644
--- a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.go
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/config.go
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ import (
 	"gopkg.in/yaml.v3"
 )
 
+// RateLimitConfig holds rate limiting configuration
+type RateLimitConfig struct {
+	PerPeerIntervalMs int `yaml:"per_peer_interval_ms"` // Milliseconds between requests per peer
+	PerPeerBurst      int `yaml:"per_peer_burst"`       // Number of requests allowed in a burst
+}
+
 // Config holds proxy configuration
 type Config struct {
 	AllowedSourceSubnets []string `yaml:"allowed_source_subnets"`
@@ -20,6 +26,8 @@ type Config struct {
 	AllowedPeerUIDs   []uint32 `yaml:"allowed_peer_uids"`
 	AllowedPeerGIDs   []uint32 `yaml:"allowed_peer_gids"`
 	AllowedIDMapUsers []string `yaml:"allowed_idmap_users"`
+
+	RateLimit *RateLimitConfig `yaml:"rate_limit,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // loadConfig loads configuration from file and environment variables
@@ -150,6 +158,14 @@ func loadConfig(configPath string) (*Config, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Log rate limit configuration if provided
+	if cfg.RateLimit != nil {
+		log.Info().
+			Int("per_peer_interval_ms", cfg.RateLimit.PerPeerIntervalMs).
+			Int("per_peer_burst", cfg.RateLimit.PerPeerBurst).
+			Msg("Rate limit configuration loaded from config file")
+	}
+
 	return cfg, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/main.go b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/main.go
index e8ce44f..34857ab 100644
--- a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/main.go
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/main.go
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func runProxy() {
 		socketPath:  socketPath,
 		sshKeyPath:  sshKeyPath,
 		knownHosts:  knownHostsManager,
-		rateLimiter: newRateLimiter(metrics),
+		rateLimiter: newRateLimiter(metrics, cfg.RateLimit),
 		nodeGate:    newNodeGate(),
 		config:      cfg,
 		metrics:     metrics,
diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle.go b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle.go
index 59cc327..8b8b3bf 100644
--- a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle.go
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle.go
@@ -50,14 +50,30 @@ var (
 )
 
 // newRateLimiter creates a new rate limiter with cleanup loop
-func newRateLimiter(metrics *ProxyMetrics) *rateLimiter {
+// If rateLimitCfg is provided, it overrides the default rate limit settings
+func newRateLimiter(metrics *ProxyMetrics, rateLimitCfg *RateLimitConfig) *rateLimiter {
+	// Use defaults
+	perPeerLimit := defaultPerPeerLimit
+	perPeerBurst := defaultPerPeerBurst
+
+	// Override with config if provided
+	if rateLimitCfg != nil {
+		if rateLimitCfg.PerPeerIntervalMs > 0 {
+			interval := time.Duration(rateLimitCfg.PerPeerIntervalMs) * time.Millisecond
+			perPeerLimit = rate.Every(interval)
+		}
+		if rateLimitCfg.PerPeerBurst > 0 {
+			perPeerBurst = rateLimitCfg.PerPeerBurst
+		}
+	}
+
 	rl := &rateLimiter{
 		entries:   make(map[peerID]*limiterEntry),
 		quitChan:  make(chan struct{}),
 		globalSem: make(chan struct{}, defaultGlobalConcurrency),
 		policy: limiterPolicy{
-			perPeerLimit:       defaultPerPeerLimit,
-			perPeerBurst:       defaultPerPeerBurst,
+			perPeerLimit:       perPeerLimit,
+			perPeerBurst:       perPeerBurst,
 			perPeerConcurrency: defaultPerPeerConcurrency,
 			globalConcurrency:  defaultGlobalConcurrency,
 			penaltyDuration:    defaultPenaltyDuration,
diff --git a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle_test.go b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle_test.go
index 6cffe2d..d4b6470 100644
--- a/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle_test.go
+++ b/cmd/pulse-sensor-proxy/throttle_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 func TestRateLimiterPenalizeMetrics(t *testing.T) {
     metrics := NewProxyMetrics("test")
-    rl := newRateLimiter(metrics)
+    rl := newRateLimiter(metrics, nil)
     rl.policy.penaltyDuration = 10 * time.Millisecond
 
     start := time.Now()