diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/Settings.tsx b/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/Settings.tsx
index 9ca28f787..1861b644c 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/Settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/components/Settings/Settings.tsx
@@ -344,12 +344,19 @@ const Settings: Component = () => {
     });
     
     try {
-      // Load security status
+      // Load data with small delays to prevent rate limit bursts
+      // Load security status first as it's lightweight
       await loadSecurityStatus();
       
+      // Small delay to prevent burst
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      
       // Load nodes
       await loadNodes();
       
+      // Another small delay
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 50));
+      
       // Load discovered nodes
       await loadDiscoveredNodes();
       
diff --git a/frontend-modern/src/utils/apiClient.ts b/frontend-modern/src/utils/apiClient.ts
index 7f28fc41b..d19211b27 100644
--- a/frontend-modern/src/utils/apiClient.ts
+++ b/frontend-modern/src/utils/apiClient.ts
@@ -147,9 +147,23 @@ class ApiClient {
       }
     }
 
-    // Handle rate limiting
+    // Handle rate limiting with automatic retry
     if (response.status === 429) {
-      console.error('Rate limit exceeded - please wait before retrying');
+      const retryAfter = response.headers.get('Retry-After');
+      const waitTime = retryAfter ? parseInt(retryAfter) * 1000 : 2000; // Default 2 seconds
+      
+      console.warn(`Rate limit hit, retrying after ${waitTime}ms`);
+      
+      // Wait and retry once
+      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, waitTime));
+      
+      const retryResponse = await fetch(url, {
+        ...fetchOptions,
+        headers: finalHeaders,
+        credentials: 'include'
+      });
+      
+      return retryResponse;
     }
 
     return response;
diff --git a/internal/api/rate_limit_config.go b/internal/api/rate_limit_config.go
index 8a3b813f2..b9573bde6 100644
--- a/internal/api/rate_limit_config.go
+++ b/internal/api/rate_limit_config.go
@@ -85,6 +85,13 @@ func GetRateLimiterForEndpoint(path string, method string) *RateLimiter {
 		return globalRateLimitConfig.ConfigEndpoints
 	}
 	
+	// Configuration read endpoints get higher limits to prevent UI issues
+	if method == "GET" && (strings.Contains(path, "/api/config/") ||
+		strings.Contains(path, "/api/discover") ||
+		strings.Contains(path, "/api/security/status")) {
+		return globalRateLimitConfig.PublicEndpoints // Use higher limit for reads
+	}
+	
 	// Update endpoints
 	if strings.Contains(path, "/api/updates") {
 		return globalRateLimitConfig.UpdateEndpoints