diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
index 3625e9323f..cbf65849be 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/config.d.ts
@@ -34,21 +34,24 @@ export interface Config {
        * unless you configure credentials for service calls.
        */
       dangerouslyDisableDefaultAuthPolicy?: boolean;
-      rateLimit?:
-        | false
-        | {
-            /**
-             * Limit each IP to max requests per window
-             */
-            max?: number;
-            /**
-             * The duration for which the rate limit is enforced
-             */
-            window?: HumanDuration;
-
-            disable?: true;
-          };
     };
+    /** @visibility frontend */
+    rateLimit?:
+      | false
+      | {
+          /**
+           * Limit each IP to max requests per window, defaults to 60 requests.
+           */
+          max?: number;
+          /**
+           * The duration for which the rate limit is enforced, defaults to 1 minute.
+           */
+          window?: HumanDuration;
+          /**
+           * Disable the rate limit verification.
+           */
+          disable?: true;
+        };
   };
 
   /** Discovery options. */
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.test.ts
index 94109ccfc0..5beeaa3a8e 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.test.ts
@@ -188,8 +188,8 @@ it('do not limit authenticated requests', async () => {
   const max = 2;
   const configMock = {
     backend: {
-      auth: {
-        rateLimit: {
+      rateLimit: {
+        unauthorized: {
           max, // 2 requests per window
           window: { minutes: 2 }, // rate limit window expiration time,
         },
@@ -237,8 +237,8 @@ it('limit the number of unauthenticated requests', async () => {
 
   const configMock = {
     backend: {
-      auth: {
-        rateLimit: {
+      rateLimit: {
+        unauthorized: {
           max: 2, // 2 requests per window
           window: { minutes: 2 }, // rate limit window expiration time,
         },
@@ -279,25 +279,25 @@ it('limit the number of unauthenticated requests', async () => {
   expect(cacheMock.get).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
   expect(cacheMock.set).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
     1,
-    `rl_${randomIp}`, // rl is the default prefix for the rate limit store
+    `unauthorized_rate_limit_${randomIp}`, // unauthorized_rate_limit_ is the default prefix for the rate limit store
     { resetTime, totalHits: 1 },
     { ttl: twoMinutesInMilliseconds },
   );
   expect(cacheMock.set).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
     2,
-    `rl_${randomIp}`,
+    `unauthorized_rate_limit_${randomIp}`,
     { resetTime, totalHits: 2 },
     { ttl: twoMinutesInMilliseconds },
   );
   expect(cacheMock.set).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
     3,
-    `rl_${randomIp}`,
+    `unauthorized_rate_limit_${randomIp}`,
     { resetTime, totalHits: 3 },
     { ttl: twoMinutesInMilliseconds },
   );
   expect(cacheMock.set).toHaveBeenNthCalledWith(
     4,
-    `rl_${randomIp}`,
+    `unauthorized_rate_limit_${randomIp}`,
     { resetTime, totalHits: 1 },
     { ttl: twoMinutesInMilliseconds },
   );
@@ -320,8 +320,8 @@ it('skip limiting requests when the rate limit is disabled', async () => {
     cache: cacheMock,
     config: {
       backend: {
-        auth: {
-          rateLimit: {
+        rateLimit: {
+          unauthorized: {
             max,
             window: { minutes: 2 },
             disabled: true,
@@ -333,7 +333,6 @@ it('skip limiting requests when the rate limit is disabled', async () => {
 
   barrier1.addAuthPolicy({ allow: 'unauthenticated', path: '/public' });
 
-  // exceed the rate limit for authenticated requests
   for (let i = 0; i < max + 1; i += 1) {
     await request(app1)
       .get('/public')
@@ -349,8 +348,8 @@ it('skip limiting requests when the rate limit is disabled', async () => {
     cache: cacheMock,
     config: {
       backend: {
-        auth: {
-          rateLimit: false,
+        rateLimit: {
+          unauthorized: false,
         },
       },
     },
@@ -358,7 +357,6 @@ it('skip limiting requests when the rate limit is disabled', async () => {
 
   barrier2.addAuthPolicy({ allow: 'unauthenticated', path: '/public' });
 
-  // exceed the rate limit for authenticated requests
   await request(app2).get('/public').send().expect(200);
 
   jest.useRealTimers();
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.ts
index aca7838804..b47b926576 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/createCredentialsBarrier.ts
@@ -65,18 +65,19 @@ export function createCredentialsBarrier(options: {
   const unauthenticatedPredicates = new Array<(path: string) => boolean>();
   const cookiePredicates = new Array<(path: string) => boolean>();
 
-  const rateLimitConfig = config.getOptional('backend.auth.rateLimit');
+  const rateLimitConfig = config.getOptional('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized');
 
   const disabled =
     rateLimitConfig === false ||
     (typeof rateLimitConfig === 'object' &&
-      config?.getOptionalBoolean('backend.auth.rateLimit.disabled') === true);
+      config?.getOptionalBoolean('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized.disabled') ===
+        true);
 
   const duration =
     typeof rateLimitConfig === 'object' &&
-    config?.has('backend.auth.rateLimit.window')
+    config?.has('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized.window')
       ? readDurationFromConfig(
-          config.getConfig('backend.auth.rateLimit.window'),
+          config.getConfig('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized.window'),
         )
       : undefined;
 
@@ -84,8 +85,8 @@ export function createCredentialsBarrier(options: {
 
   const max =
     typeof rateLimitConfig === 'object' &&
-    config?.has('backend.auth.rateLimit.max')
-      ? config.getNumber('backend.auth.rateLimit.max')
+    config?.has('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized.max')
+      ? config.getNumber('backend.rateLimit.unauthorized.max')
       : 60;
 
   // Default rate limit is 60 requests per 1 minute
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.test.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.test.ts
index 44035fc62e..22ab7c816d 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.test.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.test.ts
@@ -18,13 +18,12 @@ import { ServiceMock, mockServices } from '@backstage/backend-test-utils';
 import { RateLimitStore } from './rateLimitStore';
 import { CacheService } from '@backstage/backend-plugin-api';
 
-jest.setSystemTime(Date.parse('2024-03-15T08:39:11.869Z'));
-
 describe('RateLimitStore', () => {
   let cacheServiceMock: ServiceMock<CacheService>;
   let rateLimitStore: RateLimitStore;
 
   beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.useFakeTimers({ now: Date.parse('2024-03-15T08:39:11.869Z') });
     jest.clearAllMocks();
     cacheServiceMock = mockServices.cache.mock();
     rateLimitStore = RateLimitStore.fromOptions({
@@ -33,6 +32,10 @@ describe('RateLimitStore', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  afterEach(() => {
+    jest.useRealTimers();
+  });
+
   it('should initialize with default options', () => {
     expect(rateLimitStore.windowMs).toBe(1 * 60 * 1000);
   });
diff --git a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.ts b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.ts
index 423a1012a9..6286522a2a 100644
--- a/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.ts
+++ b/packages/backend-app-api/src/services/implementations/httpRouter/rateLimitStore.ts
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ export class RateLimitStore implements Store {
   #cache: CacheService;
 
   private constructor(options: CacheStoreOptions) {
-    this.prefix = options.prefix ?? 'rl_';
+    this.prefix = options.prefix ?? 'unauthorized_rate_limit_';
     this.#cache = options.cache;
   }