diff --git a/src/server/app.js b/src/server/app.js
index eb9f114..9d5d199 100644
--- a/src/server/app.js
+++ b/src/server/app.js
@@ -398,10 +398,11 @@ export function createApp(ctx) {
 
   router.on('POST', '/api/tasks/:id/submit', async ({ req, params }) => {
     const user = auth(req);
-    submitLimiter.check(user.id);
+    submitLimiter.ensure(user.id);
     const taskId = intParam(params.id);
     const body = await readJson(req);
     const r = submitBatch(user, [taskId], body);
+    submitLimiter.record(user.id);
     return guided({ attemptId: r.attempts[0].attemptId, batchId: r.batchId, state: 'queued' });
   });
 
@@ -460,9 +461,10 @@ export function createApp(ctx) {
 
   router.on('POST', '/api/batches', async ({ req }) => {
     const user = auth(req);
-    submitLimiter.check(user.id);
+    submitLimiter.ensure(user.id);
     const body = await readJson(req, 8 * 1024 * 1024);
     const r = submitBatch(user, (body.taskIds ?? []).map((x) => intParam(x)), body);
+    submitLimiter.record(user.id);
     return guided({ ...r, state: 'queued' });
   });
 
diff --git a/src/server/http.js b/src/server/http.js
index 91c69d7..8466178 100644
--- a/src/server/http.js
+++ b/src/server/http.js
@@ -78,4 +78,22 @@ export class RateLimiter {
     if (e.n > this.max) throw new HttpError(429, 'rate limit exceeded, try again later');
     if (this.hits.size > 10000) for (const [k, v] of this.hits) if (t - v.start > this.windowMs) this.hits.delete(k);
   }
+
+  // For limits on work that can be refused for other reasons: `ensure` before, `record` only once
+  // it was accepted, so a client retrying a refused request does not use up its budget.
+  ensure(key) {
+    const e = this.hits.get(key);
+    const t = Date.now();
+    if (e && t - e.start <= this.windowMs && e.n >= this.max) {
+      const wait = Math.ceil((e.start + this.windowMs - t) / 1000);
+      throw new HttpError(429, `rate limit exceeded (${this.max} per ${Math.round(this.windowMs / 60_000)} minutes); try again in ${Math.ceil(wait / 60)} minute(s)`, { retryAfterSeconds: wait });
+    }
+  }
+
+  record(key) {
+    const t = Date.now();
+    let e = this.hits.get(key);
+    if (!e || t - e.start > this.windowMs) this.hits.set(key, (e = { start: t, n: 0 }));
+    e.n++;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/server/tasks.js b/src/server/tasks.js
index 66a9b18..801bcaa 100644
--- a/src/server/tasks.js
+++ b/src/server/tasks.js
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ export class Tasks {
       const max = this.config.maxQueuedBatches ?? 4;
       const waiting = this.store.get(`SELECT COUNT(*) AS n FROM batches WHERE user_id = ? AND state IN ('queued', 'verifying')`, user.id).n;
       if (waiting >= max) {
-        throw new HttpError(429, `you have ${waiting} batches waiting for verification (the limit is ${max}); keep your claims, do peer reviews meanwhile (td_list_peer_reviews), and submit again when one is done`);
+        throw new HttpError(429, `you have ${waiting} batches waiting for verification (the limit is ${max}); keep your claims, do peer reviews meanwhile (td_list_peer_reviews), and submit again when one is done (td_get_batch shows it)`, { retryAfterSeconds: 120 });
       }
       const b = this.store.run(
         `INSERT INTO batches (user_id, base_commit, files_json, notes, agent_meta, env_digest, state, created_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, 'queued', ?)`,