# The Rate Limit node is lying to you (a little)

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [5 August 2025 16:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521 "2025-08-05T16:13:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![waquete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a698b9/32.png) [@waquete](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/waquete)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2025 16:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521/1 "2025-08-05T16:13:44Z")

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Hi everyone,

I apologize for the slightly dramatic title 😅🙇 . My goal is just to spark a conversation about the Rate Limit node.

The current **Delay / Rate Limit** node is very useful, but I've noticed a behavior that can be a bit confusing and might not fit all use cases.

When we configure the node to allow `X` messages per `Y` time unit (e.g., 5 messages per minute), it doesn't send the first `X` messages and then wait. Instead, it spaces out the messages evenly. For example, 5 messages per minute actually means one message is sent every 12 seconds, the node does the math for you: 60/5.

That what confused me for a while: I could not believe it was just doing the math for you, nothing else.. 😅

This works great for smoothing out a stream of data, but not exactly what I wanted.

I'd like to suggest a new option for the Rate Limit node, a **"burst" mode** or similar. This mode would allow the first `X` messages to pass through immediately (or as fast or slow as they arrive), and then block any subsequent messages until the `Y` time unit has elapsed.

Example of the proposed "burst" mode:

- Setup: The node is set to allow 5 messages per minute.

- Input: A flow sends 1 message per second.

- Output:

I found an old discussion about a similar topic ([Rate limiting with delay node](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/rate-limiting-with-delay-node/81809)), but it didn't seem to gain much traction. I hope this new proposal sparks a conversation and maybe even a new feature!

Note: some people built a function for this, but I think it would be great to have it in delay node.

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**Author:** ![HaroldPetersInskipp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/haroldpetersinskipp/32/42319_2.png) [@HaroldPetersInskipp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/HaroldPetersInskipp)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2025 17:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521/2 "2025-08-05T17:26:08Z")

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I would also like to have this “Burst mode” option be available. Would save me from writing or copy/pasting function nodes for this common task.

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**Author:** ![smanjunath211](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/smanjunath211/32/95742_2.png) [@smanjunath211](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/smanjunath211)\
**Post date:** [6 August 2025 04:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521/3 "2025-08-06T04:49:46Z")

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> [@HaroldPetersInskipp](#):
>
> Would save me from writing or copy/pasting function nodes for this common task.

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/5/4/541834c725d49bcc8fd5fdda6096f54a362c1e36.png)

I usually put a feedback loop from the output of the delay node so when required i can 'flush' the number of messages from the buffer in a burst.  
`return {flush:5};` in a function node would release 5 messages in a burst.

Please ignore if you are already doing the same.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [5 October 2025 04:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/the-rate-limit-node-is-lying-to-you-a-little/98521/4 "2025-10-05T04:50:27Z")

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