diff --git a/.changeset/validate-rate-limit-period.md b/.changeset/validate-rate-limit-period.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d8e7d524b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/validate-rate-limit-period.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"nostream": patch
+---
+
+Reject settings where any rateLimits[].period is not greater than 0
diff --git a/src/utils/settings-config.ts b/src/utils/settings-config.ts
index f3937b6a7..93fb91498 100644
--- a/src/utils/settings-config.ts
+++ b/src/utils/settings-config.ts
@@ -570,6 +570,25 @@ export const validatePathAgainstDefaults = (path: string): ValidationIssue[] =>
   ]
 }
 
+const validateRateLimitPeriods = (
+  rateLimits: { period: number }[] | undefined,
+  pathPrefix: string,
+  issues: ValidationIssue[],
+): void => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(rateLimits)) {
+    return
+  }
+  rateLimits.forEach((entry, index) => {
+    if (entry === null || typeof entry !== 'object' || Array.isArray(entry)) {
+      issues.push({ path: `${pathPrefix}[${index}]`, message: 'rateLimits entry must be an object' })
+      return
+    }
+    if (!(entry.period > 0)) {
+      issues.push({ path: `${pathPrefix}[${index}].period`, message: 'period must be greater than 0' })
+    }
+  })
+}
+
 export const validateSettings = (settings: Settings): ValidationIssue[] => {
   const issues: ValidationIssue[] = []
 
@@ -644,6 +663,18 @@ export const validateSettings = (settings: Settings): ValidationIssue[] => {
     }
   }
 
+  const limits = settings.limits
+  if (limits) {
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.event?.rateLimits, 'limits.event.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.message?.rateLimits, 'limits.message.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.connection?.rateLimits, 'limits.connection.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.invoice?.rateLimits, 'limits.invoice.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.admissionCheck?.rateLimits, 'limits.admissionCheck.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.invite?.rateLimits, 'limits.invite.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.admin?.rateLimits, 'limits.admin.rateLimits', issues)
+    validateRateLimitPeriods(limits.admin?.loginRateLimits, 'limits.admin.loginRateLimits', issues)
+  }
+
   validateShape(loadDefaults(), settings, [], issues)
   issues.push(...validateAdminNotifications(settings))
 
diff --git a/test/unit/utils/settings-config.spec.ts b/test/unit/utils/settings-config.spec.ts
index bf50ff94f..d9179f35d 100644
--- a/test/unit/utils/settings-config.spec.ts
+++ b/test/unit/utils/settings-config.spec.ts
@@ -98,6 +98,75 @@ describe('settings-config', () => {
     expect(issues.some((issue) => issue.path === 'network')).to.equal(true)
   })
 
+  describe('rate limit period validation', () => {
+    const baseSettings = () =>
+      ({
+        info: { relay_url: 'wss://test.relay', name: 'test' },
+        network: {},
+      }) as any
+
+    const nonPositivePeriodCases: { issuePath: string; limits: Record<string, unknown> }[] = [
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.event.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { event: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.message.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { message: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.connection.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { connection: { rateLimits: [{ period: -1, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.invoice.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { invoice: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.admissionCheck.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { admissionCheck: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.invite.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { invite: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.admin.rateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { admin: { rateLimits: [{ period: 0, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+      {
+        issuePath: 'limits.admin.loginRateLimits[0].period',
+        limits: { admin: { loginRateLimits: [{ period: -1, rate: 1 }] } },
+      },
+    ]
+
+    for (const { issuePath, limits } of nonPositivePeriodCases) {
+      it(`rejects a non-positive period on ${issuePath.replace('[0].period', '')}`, () => {
+        const settings = baseSettings()
+        settings.limits = limits
+
+        const issues = validateSettings(settings)
+        expect(issues.some((issue) => issue.path === issuePath)).to.equal(true)
+      })
+    }
+
+    it('accepts a positive period on limits.event.rateLimits', () => {
+      const settings = baseSettings()
+      settings.limits = { event: { rateLimits: [{ period: 60_000, rate: 10 }] } }
+
+      const issues = validateSettings(settings)
+      expect(issues.some((issue) => issue.path.startsWith('limits.event.rateLimits'))).to.equal(false)
+    })
+
+    it('rejects a null entry in limits.event.rateLimits without throwing', () => {
+      const settings = baseSettings()
+      settings.limits = { event: { rateLimits: [null] } }
+
+      const issues = validateSettings(settings)
+      expect(issues.some((issue) => issue.path === 'limits.event.rateLimits[0]')).to.equal(true)
+    })
+  })
+
   describe('adaptive pow settings', () => {
     const baseSettings = () =>
       ({