diff --git a/sapl/settings.py b/sapl/settings.py
index d21481457..27f26474c 100644
--- a/sapl/settings.py
+++ b/sapl/settings.py
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ API_QUOTA_WEEKLY = config('API_QUOTA_WEEKLY', default=3500, cast=int)
 # API-specific per-minute rate limit for external (non-same-origin) anonymous calls.
 # Abuse writes rl:api:ip:<ip>:blocked only — never rl:ip:<ip>:blocked.
 API_RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_ENABLED', default=True, cast=bool)
-API_RATE_LIMIT_THRESHOLD = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_THRESHOLD', default=60, cast=int)
+API_RATE_LIMIT_THRESHOLD = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_THRESHOLD', default=35, cast=int)
 API_RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW_SECONDS = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_WINDOW_SECONDS', default=60, cast=int)
 API_RATE_LIMIT_BLOCK_SECONDS = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_BLOCK_SECONDS', default=300, cast=int)
 API_RATE_LIMIT_SAME_ORIGIN_BYPASS = config('API_RATE_LIMIT_SAME_ORIGIN_BYPASS', default=True, cast=bool)