diff --git a/config/initializers/api.rb b/config/initializers/api.rb
index 71db82830..7113a7618 100644
--- a/config/initializers/api.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/api.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ Api.configure do |config|
     config.core_api_token_iss = ENV['CORE_API_TOKEN_ISS']
   end
 
-  config.core_api_rate_limit = ENV['CORE_API_RATE_LIMIT'].to_i || 1000
+  config.core_api_rate_limit =
+    ENV['CORE_API_RATE_LIMIT'] ? ENV['CORE_API_RATE_LIMIT'].to_i : 1000
 
   config.core_api_v1_preview = true if ENV['CORE_API_V1_PREVIEW']
 
diff --git a/config/initializers/rack_attack.rb b/config/initializers/rack_attack.rb
index 37e39ffbb..517c8e1ac 100644
--- a/config/initializers/rack_attack.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/rack_attack.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 return unless Rails.env.production?
 
+return if Api.configuration.core_api_rate_limit.zero?
+
 Rack::Attack.throttle('api requests by ip',
                       limit: Api.configuration.core_api_rate_limit,
                       period: 60) do |request|