diff --git a/spec/requests/rack_attack_spec.rb b/spec/requests/rack_attack_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..4f406f03993
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/requests/rack_attack_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,286 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+
+describe Rack::Attack do
+  let(:settings) { Gitlab::CurrentSettings.current_application_settings }
+
+  before do
+    # Ensure throttles are defined, because this is normally skipped for tests
+    described_class.define_throttles
+
+    # Instead of test environment's :null_store
+    Rack::Attack.cache.store = ActiveSupport::Cache::MemoryStore.new
+
+    # Start with really high limits to ensure the right settings are being exercised.
+    # Also note, settings will be saved later.
+    settings.throttle_unauthenticated_requests_per_period = 100
+    settings.throttle_unauthenticated_period_in_seconds = 1
+    settings.throttle_authenticated_api_requests_per_period = 100
+    settings.throttle_authenticated_api_period_in_seconds = 1
+    settings.throttle_authenticated_web_requests_per_period = 100
+    settings.throttle_authenticated_web_period_in_seconds = 1
+  end
+
+  # Make time-dependent tests deterministic
+  around do |example|
+    Timecop.freeze { example.run }
+  end
+
+  describe 'unauthenticated requests' do
+    let(:requests_per_period) { settings.throttle_unauthenticated_requests_per_period }
+    let(:period) { settings.throttle_unauthenticated_period_in_seconds.seconds }
+
+    before do
+      # Set low limits
+      settings.throttle_unauthenticated_requests_per_period = 1
+      settings.throttle_unauthenticated_period_in_seconds = 10
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is enabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_unauthenticated_enabled = true
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'rejects requests over the rate limit' do
+        # At first, allow requests under the rate limit.
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/users/sign_in'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        # the last straw
+        get '/users/sign_in'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests after throttling and then waiting for the next period' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/users/sign_in'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        get '/users/sign_in'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+
+        Timecop.travel(period.from_now) do
+          requests_per_period.times do
+            get '/users/sign_in'
+            expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+          end
+
+          get '/users/sign_in'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+        end
+      end
+
+      it 'counts requests from different IPs separately' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/users/sign_in'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        expect_any_instance_of(Rack::Attack::Request).to receive(:ip).and_return('1.2.3.4')
+
+        # would be over limit for the same IP
+        get '/users/sign_in'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is disabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_unauthenticated_enabled = false
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests over the rate limit' do
+        (1 + requests_per_period).times do
+          get '/users/sign_in'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'authenticated API requests', :api do
+    let(:requests_per_period) { settings.throttle_authenticated_api_requests_per_period }
+    let(:period) { settings.throttle_authenticated_api_period_in_seconds.seconds }
+    let(:user) { create(:user) }
+
+    before do
+      # Set low limits
+      settings.throttle_authenticated_api_requests_per_period = 1
+      settings.throttle_authenticated_api_period_in_seconds = 10
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is enabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_authenticated_api_enabled = true
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'rejects requests over the rate limit' do
+        # At first, allow requests under the rate limit.
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        # the last straw
+        get api('/todos', user)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests after throttling and then waiting for the next period' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        get api('/todos', user)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+
+        Timecop.travel(period.from_now) do
+          requests_per_period.times do
+            get api('/todos', user)
+            expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+          end
+
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+        end
+      end
+
+      it 'counts requests from different users separately, even from the same IP' do
+        other_user = create(:user)
+
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        # would be over the limit if this wasn't a different user
+        get api('/todos', other_user)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+      end
+
+      it 'counts all requests from the same user, even via different IPs' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        expect_any_instance_of(Rack::Attack::Request).to receive(:ip).and_return('1.2.3.4')
+
+        get api('/todos', user)
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is disabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_authenticated_api_enabled = false
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests over the rate limit' do
+        (1 + requests_per_period).times do
+          get api('/todos', user)
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'authenticated web requests' do
+    let(:requests_per_period) { settings.throttle_authenticated_web_requests_per_period }
+    let(:period) { settings.throttle_authenticated_web_period_in_seconds.seconds }
+    let(:user) { create(:user) }
+
+    before do
+      login_as(user)
+
+      # Set low limits
+      settings.throttle_authenticated_web_requests_per_period = 1
+      settings.throttle_authenticated_web_period_in_seconds = 10
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is enabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_authenticated_web_enabled = true
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'rejects requests over the rate limit' do
+        # At first, allow requests under the rate limit.
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        # the last straw
+        get '/dashboard/snippets'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests after throttling and then waiting for the next period' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        get '/dashboard/snippets'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+
+        Timecop.travel(period.from_now) do
+          requests_per_period.times do
+            get '/dashboard/snippets'
+            expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+          end
+
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+        end
+      end
+
+      it 'counts requests from different users separately, even from the same IP' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        # would be over the limit if this wasn't a different user
+        login_as(create(:user))
+
+        get '/dashboard/snippets'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+      end
+
+      it 'counts all requests from the same user, even via different IPs' do
+        requests_per_period.times do
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+
+        expect_any_instance_of(Rack::Attack::Request).to receive(:ip).and_return('1.2.3.4')
+
+        get '/dashboard/snippets'
+        expect(response).to have_http_status 429
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'when the throttle is disabled' do
+      before do
+        settings.throttle_authenticated_web_enabled = false
+        settings.save!
+      end
+
+      it 'allows requests over the rate limit' do
+        (1 + requests_per_period).times do
+          get '/dashboard/snippets'
+          expect(response).to have_http_status 200
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end