diff --git a/ratelimit.go b/ratelimit.go
index 3b9950d..0034615 100644
--- a/ratelimit.go
+++ b/ratelimit.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"os"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/goccy/go-json"
@@ -16,58 +17,61 @@ type RateLimitConfig struct {
 	Req               int    `json:"req"`
 }
 
-var rateLimits map[string]RateLimitConfig
-var ratelimit_intervals = map[string]time.Duration{
-	"milli":  time.Millisecond,
-	"micro":  time.Microsecond,
-	"nano":   time.Nanosecond,
-	"second": time.Second,
-	"minute": time.Minute,
-	"hour":   time.Hour,
-	"day":    time.Hour * 24,
-}
+var (
+	rateLimits         map[string]RateLimitConfig
+	ratelimitIntervals = map[string]time.Duration{
+		"milli":  time.Millisecond,
+		"micro":  time.Microsecond,
+		"nano":   time.Nanosecond,
+		"second": time.Second,
+		"minute": time.Minute,
+		"hour":   time.Hour,
+		"day":    24 * time.Hour,
+	}
+	configPaths = []string{"/go/src/app/ratelimit.json", "./ratelimit.json", "./static/app/default-ratelimit.json"}
+	mu          sync.RWMutex
+)
 
 func loadRatelimitConfig() error {
-	paths := []string{"/go/src/app/ratelimit.json", "./ratelimit.json", "./static/app/default-ratelimit.json"}
-
-	for _, path := range paths {
-		err := loadConfigFromPath(path)
-		if err == nil {
+	for _, path := range configPaths {
+		if err := loadConfigFromPath(path); err == nil {
+			cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
+				Message: "Failed to load config",
+				Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"path": path, "error": err},
+			})
 			return nil
 		}
-		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
-			Message: "Failed to load config",
-			Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"path": path, "error": err},
-		})
 	}
 
 	cfg.Logger.Error(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
 		Message: "Rate limit config not found",
-		Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"paths": paths},
+		Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"paths": configPaths},
 	})
 
 	return os.ErrNotExist
 }
 
 func loadConfigFromPath(path string) error {
-	file, err := os.Open(path)
+	file, err := os.ReadFile(path)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	defer file.Close()
 
-	config := struct {
+	var config struct {
 		RateLimit map[string]RateLimitConfig `json:"ratelimit"`
-	}{}
+	}
 
-	decoder := json.NewDecoder(file)
-	if err := decoder.Decode(&config); err != nil {
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(file, &config); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+
+	rateLimits = make(map[string]RateLimitConfig, len(config.RateLimit))
 	for key, value := range config.RateLimit {
 		value.RateCounterTicker = goratecounter.NewRateCounter().WithConfig(goratecounter.RateCounterConfig{
-			Interval: time.Duration(value.Req) * ratelimit_intervals[value.Interval],
+			Interval: time.Duration(value.Req) * ratelimitIntervals[value.Interval],
 		})
 
 		if cfg.LogLevel == "debug" {
@@ -76,15 +80,14 @@ func loadConfigFromPath(path string) error {
 				Pairs: map[string]interface{}{
 					"role":              key,
 					"interval_provided": value.Interval,
-					"interval_used":     ratelimit_intervals[value.Interval],
+					"interval_used":     ratelimitIntervals[value.Interval],
 					"ratelimit":         value.Req,
 				},
 			})
 		}
-		config.RateLimit[key] = value
+		rateLimits[key] = value
 	}
 
-	rateLimits = config.RateLimit
 	cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
 		Message: "Rate limit config loaded",
 		Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"ratelimit": rateLimits},
@@ -92,7 +95,10 @@ func loadConfigFromPath(path string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func rateLimitedRequest(userID string, userRole string) (shouldAllow bool) {
+func rateLimitedRequest(userID, userRole string) bool {
+	mu.RLock()
+	defer mu.RUnlock()
+
 	if rateLimits == nil {
 		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
 			Message: "Rate limit config not found",
@@ -101,19 +107,10 @@ func rateLimitedRequest(userID string, userRole string) (shouldAllow bool) {
 		return true
 	}
 
-	// Fetch role config once to avoid multiple map lookups
 	roleConfig, ok := rateLimits[userRole]
-	if !ok {
+	if !ok || roleConfig.RateCounterTicker == nil {
 		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
-			Message: "Rate limit role not found",
-			Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"user_role": userRole},
-		})
-		return true
-	}
-
-	if roleConfig.RateCounterTicker == nil {
-		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
-			Message: "Rate limit ticker not found",
+			Message: "Rate limit role or ticker not found",
 			Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"user_role": userRole},
 		})
 		return true
@@ -122,23 +119,29 @@ func rateLimitedRequest(userID string, userRole string) (shouldAllow bool) {
 	roleConfig.RateCounterTicker.Incr(1)
 	tickerRate := roleConfig.RateCounterTicker.GetRate()
 
-	logDetails := map[string]interface{}{
-		"user_role":   userRole,
-		"user_id":     userID,
-		"rate":        tickerRate,
-		"config_rate": roleConfig.Req,
-		"interval":    roleConfig.Interval,
+	if cfg.LogLevel == "debug" {
+		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
+			Message: "Rate limit ticker",
+			Pairs: map[string]interface{}{
+				"user_role":   userRole,
+				"user_id":     userID,
+				"rate":        tickerRate,
+				"config_rate": roleConfig.Req,
+				"interval":    roleConfig.Interval,
+			},
+		})
 	}
 
-	cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
-		Message: "Rate limit ticker",
-		Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"log_details": logDetails},
-	})
-
 	if tickerRate > float64(roleConfig.Req) {
 		cfg.Logger.Debug(&libpack_logger.LogMessage{
 			Message: "Rate limit exceeded",
-			Pairs:   map[string]interface{}{"log_details": logDetails},
+			Pairs: map[string]interface{}{
+				"user_role":   userRole,
+				"user_id":     userID,
+				"rate":        tickerRate,
+				"config_rate": roleConfig.Req,
+				"interval":    roleConfig.Interval,
+			},
 		})
 		return false
 	}