diff --git a/cmd/app.go b/cmd/app.go
index b7d3722e..6ef9f942 100644
--- a/cmd/app.go
+++ b/cmd/app.go
@@ -22,8 +22,13 @@ func New() *cli.App {
 		altsrc.NewStringFlag(&cli.StringFlag{Name: "firebase-key-file", Aliases: []string{"F"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_FIREBASE_KEY_FILE"}, Usage: "Firebase credentials file; if set additionally publish to FCM topic"}),
 		altsrc.NewStringFlag(&cli.StringFlag{Name: "cache-file", Aliases: []string{"C"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_CACHE_FILE"}, Usage: "cache file used for message caching"}),
 		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "cache-duration", Aliases: []string{"b"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_CACHE_DURATION"}, Value: config.DefaultCacheDuration, Usage: "buffer messages for this time to allow `since` requests"}),
-		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "keepalive-interval", Aliases: []string{"k"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL"}, Value: config.DefaultKeepaliveInterval, Usage: "default interval of keepalive messages"}),
-		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "manager-interval", Aliases: []string{"m"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_MANAGER_INTERVAL"}, Value: config.DefaultManagerInterval, Usage: "default interval of for message pruning and stats printing"}),
+		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "keepalive-interval", Aliases: []string{"k"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_KEEPALIVE_INTERVAL"}, Value: config.DefaultKeepaliveInterval, Usage: "interval of keepalive messages"}),
+		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "manager-interval", Aliases: []string{"m"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_MANAGER_INTERVAL"}, Value: config.DefaultManagerInterval, Usage: "interval of for message pruning and stats printing"}),
+		altsrc.NewIntFlag(&cli.IntFlag{Name: "global-topic-limit", Aliases: []string{"T"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_GLOBAL_TOPIC_LIMIT"}, Value: config.DefaultGlobalTopicLimit, Usage: "total number of topics allowed"}),
+		altsrc.NewIntFlag(&cli.IntFlag{Name: "visitor-subscription-limit", Aliases: []string{"V"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_VISITOR_SUBSCRIPTION_LIMIT"}, Value: config.DefaultVisitorSubscriptionLimit, Usage: "number of subscriptions per visitor"}),
+		altsrc.NewIntFlag(&cli.IntFlag{Name: "visitor-request-limit-burst", Aliases: []string{"B"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_VISITOR_REQUEST_LIMIT_BURST"}, Value: config.DefaultVisitorRequestLimitBurst, Usage: "initial limit of requests per visitor"}),
+		altsrc.NewDurationFlag(&cli.DurationFlag{Name: "visitor-request-limit-replenish", Aliases: []string{"R"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_VISITOR_REQUEST_LIMIT_REPLENISH"}, Value: config.DefaultVisitorRequestLimitReplenish, Usage: "interval at which burst limit is replenished (one per x)"}),
+		altsrc.NewBoolFlag(&cli.BoolFlag{Name: "behind-proxy", Aliases: []string{"P"}, EnvVars: []string{"NTFY_BEHIND_PROXY"}, Value: false, Usage: "if set, use X-Forwarded-For header to determine visitor IP address (for rate limiting)"}),
 	}
 	return &cli.App{
 		Name:                   "ntfy",
@@ -50,6 +55,11 @@ func execRun(c *cli.Context) error {
 	cacheDuration := c.Duration("cache-duration")
 	keepaliveInterval := c.Duration("keepalive-interval")
 	managerInterval := c.Duration("manager-interval")
+	globalTopicLimit := c.Int("global-topic-limit")
+	visitorSubscriptionLimit := c.Int("visitor-subscription-limit")
+	visitorRequestLimitBurst := c.Int("visitor-request-limit-burst")
+	visitorRequestLimitReplenish := c.Duration("visitor-request-limit-replenish")
+	behindProxy := c.Bool("behind-proxy")
 
 	// Check values
 	if firebaseKeyFile != "" && !util.FileExists(firebaseKeyFile) {
@@ -69,6 +79,11 @@ func execRun(c *cli.Context) error {
 	conf.CacheDuration = cacheDuration
 	conf.KeepaliveInterval = keepaliveInterval
 	conf.ManagerInterval = managerInterval
+	conf.GlobalTopicLimit = globalTopicLimit
+	conf.VisitorSubscriptionLimit = visitorSubscriptionLimit
+	conf.VisitorRequestLimitBurst = visitorRequestLimitBurst
+	conf.VisitorRequestLimitReplenish = visitorRequestLimitReplenish
+	conf.BehindProxy = behindProxy
 	s, err := server.New(conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalln(err)
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index f80cc9ab..902f23bd 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 package config
 
 import (
-	"golang.org/x/time/rate"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -15,42 +14,44 @@ const (
 )
 
 // Defines all the limits
-// - request limit: max number of PUT/GET/.. requests (here: 50 requests bucket, replenished at a rate of one per 10 seconds)
 // - global topic limit: max number of topics overall
-// - subscription limit: max number of subscriptions (active HTTP connections) per per-visitor/IP
-var (
-	defaultGlobalTopicLimit         = 5000
-	defaultVisitorRequestLimit      = rate.Every(10 * time.Second)
-	defaultVisitorRequestLimitBurst = 60
-	defaultVisitorSubscriptionLimit = 30
+// - per visistor request limit: max number of PUT/GET/.. requests (here: 60 requests bucket, replenished at a rate of one per 10 seconds)
+// - per visistor subscription limit: max number of subscriptions (active HTTP connections) per per-visitor/IP
+const (
+	DefaultGlobalTopicLimit             = 5000
+	DefaultVisitorRequestLimitBurst     = 60
+	DefaultVisitorRequestLimitReplenish = 10 * time.Second
+	DefaultVisitorSubscriptionLimit     = 30
 )
 
 // Config is the main config struct for the application. Use New to instantiate a default config struct.
 type Config struct {
-	ListenHTTP               string
-	FirebaseKeyFile          string
-	CacheFile                string
-	CacheDuration            time.Duration
-	KeepaliveInterval        time.Duration
-	ManagerInterval          time.Duration
-	GlobalTopicLimit         int
-	VisitorRequestLimit      rate.Limit
-	VisitorRequestLimitBurst int
-	VisitorSubscriptionLimit int
+	ListenHTTP                   string
+	FirebaseKeyFile              string
+	CacheFile                    string
+	CacheDuration                time.Duration
+	KeepaliveInterval            time.Duration
+	ManagerInterval              time.Duration
+	GlobalTopicLimit             int
+	VisitorRequestLimitBurst     int
+	VisitorRequestLimitReplenish time.Duration
+	VisitorSubscriptionLimit     int
+	BehindProxy                  bool
 }
 
 // New instantiates a default new config
 func New(listenHTTP string) *Config {
 	return &Config{
-		ListenHTTP:               listenHTTP,
-		FirebaseKeyFile:          "",
-		CacheFile:                "",
-		CacheDuration:            DefaultCacheDuration,
-		KeepaliveInterval:        DefaultKeepaliveInterval,
-		ManagerInterval:          DefaultManagerInterval,
-		GlobalTopicLimit:         defaultGlobalTopicLimit,
-		VisitorRequestLimit:      defaultVisitorRequestLimit,
-		VisitorRequestLimitBurst: defaultVisitorRequestLimitBurst,
-		VisitorSubscriptionLimit: defaultVisitorSubscriptionLimit,
+		ListenHTTP:                   listenHTTP,
+		FirebaseKeyFile:              "",
+		CacheFile:                    "",
+		CacheDuration:                DefaultCacheDuration,
+		KeepaliveInterval:            DefaultKeepaliveInterval,
+		ManagerInterval:              DefaultManagerInterval,
+		GlobalTopicLimit:             DefaultGlobalTopicLimit,
+		VisitorRequestLimitBurst:     DefaultVisitorRequestLimitBurst,
+		VisitorRequestLimitReplenish: DefaultVisitorRequestLimitReplenish,
+		VisitorSubscriptionLimit:     DefaultVisitorSubscriptionLimit,
+		BehindProxy:                  false,
 	}
 }
diff --git a/config/config.yml b/config/config.yml
index e4a6fc07..210df071 100644
--- a/config/config.yml
+++ b/config/config.yml
@@ -25,6 +25,30 @@
 #
 # keepalive-interval: 30s
 
-# Interval in which the manager prunes old messages, deletes topics and prints the stats.
+# Interval in which the manager prunes old messages, deletes topics
+# and prints the stats.
 #
 # manager-interval: 1m
+
+# Rate limiting: Total number of topics before the server rejects new topics.
+#
+# global-topic-limit: 5000
+
+# Rate limiting: Number of subscriptions per visitor (IP address)
+#
+# visitor-subscription-limit: 30
+
+# Rate limiting: Allowed GET/PUT/POST requests per second, per visitor:
+# - visitor-request-limit-burst is the initial bucket of requests each visitor has
+# - visitor-request-limit-replenish is the rate at which the bucket is refilled
+#
+# visitor-request-limit-burst: 60
+# visitor-request-limit-replenish: 10s
+
+# If set, the X-Forwarded-For header is used to determine the visitor IP address
+# instead of the remote address of the connection.
+#
+# WARNING: If you are behind a proxy, you must set this, otherwise all visitors are rate limited
+#          as if they are one.
+#
+# behind-proxy: false
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 64d26a09..bbde7341 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -159,24 +159,22 @@ func (s *Server) handle(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func (s *Server) handleInternal(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
-	v := s.visitor(r.RemoteAddr)
-	if err := v.RequestAllowed(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	if r.Method == http.MethodGet && r.URL.Path == "/" {
 		return s.handleHome(w, r)
+	} else if r.Method == http.MethodHead && r.URL.Path == "/" {
+		return s.handleEmpty(w, r)
 	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && staticRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
 		return s.handleStatic(w, r)
-	} else if (r.Method == http.MethodPut || r.Method == http.MethodPost) && topicRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
-		return s.handlePublish(w, r, v)
-	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && jsonRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
-		return s.handleSubscribeJSON(w, r, v)
-	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && sseRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
-		return s.handleSubscribeSSE(w, r, v)
-	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && rawRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
-		return s.handleSubscribeRaw(w, r, v)
 	} else if r.Method == http.MethodOptions {
 		return s.handleOptions(w, r)
+	} else if (r.Method == http.MethodPut || r.Method == http.MethodPost) && topicRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
+		return s.withRateLimit(w, r, s.handlePublish)
+	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && jsonRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
+		return s.withRateLimit(w, r, s.handleSubscribeJSON)
+	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && sseRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
+		return s.withRateLimit(w, r, s.handleSubscribeSSE)
+	} else if r.Method == http.MethodGet && rawRegex.MatchString(r.URL.Path) {
+		return s.withRateLimit(w, r, s.handleSubscribeRaw)
 	}
 	return errHTTPNotFound
 }
@@ -186,6 +184,10 @@ func (s *Server) handleHome(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+func (s *Server) handleEmpty(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (s *Server) handleStatic(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 	http.FileServer(http.FS(webStaticFs)).ServeHTTP(w, r)
 	return nil
@@ -394,15 +396,27 @@ func (s *Server) updateStatsAndExpire() {
 		s.messages, len(s.topics), subscribers, messages, len(s.visitors))
 }
 
+func (s *Server) withRateLimit(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, handler func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, v *visitor) error) error {
+	v := s.visitor(r)
+	if err := v.RequestAllowed(); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return handler(w, r, v)
+}
+
 // visitor creates or retrieves a rate.Limiter for the given visitor.
 // This function was taken from https://www.alexedwards.net/blog/how-to-rate-limit-http-requests (MIT).
-func (s *Server) visitor(remoteAddr string) *visitor {
+func (s *Server) visitor(r *http.Request) *visitor {
 	s.mu.Lock()
 	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	remoteAddr := r.RemoteAddr
 	ip, _, err := net.SplitHostPort(remoteAddr)
 	if err != nil {
 		ip = remoteAddr // This should not happen in real life; only in tests.
 	}
+	if s.config.BehindProxy && r.Header.Get("X-Forwarded-For") != "" {
+		ip = r.Header.Get("X-Forwarded-For")
+	}
 	v, exists := s.visitors[ip]
 	if !exists {
 		s.visitors[ip] = newVisitor(s.config)
diff --git a/server/visitor.go b/server/visitor.go
index 3e028acd..7c23f89b 100644
--- a/server/visitor.go
+++ b/server/visitor.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ type visitor struct {
 func newVisitor(conf *config.Config) *visitor {
 	return &visitor{
 		config:        conf,
-		limiter:       rate.NewLimiter(conf.VisitorRequestLimit, conf.VisitorRequestLimitBurst),
+		limiter:       rate.NewLimiter(rate.Every(conf.VisitorRequestLimitReplenish), conf.VisitorRequestLimitBurst),
 		subscriptions: util.NewLimiter(int64(conf.VisitorSubscriptionLimit)),
 		seen:          time.Now(),
 	}