diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b781c664..3b2b218c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -339,7 +339,6 @@ domain: internal
 descriptors:
   - key: ldap
     rate_limit:
-      unit: second
       unlimited: true
 
   - key: azure
diff --git a/examples/ratelimit/config/example.yaml b/examples/ratelimit/config/example.yaml
index 1eb6256f..64bacdf0 100644
--- a/examples/ratelimit/config/example.yaml
+++ b/examples/ratelimit/config/example.yaml
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ descriptors:
           requests_per_unit: 1
       - key: bay
         rate_limit:
-          unit: second
           unlimited: true
   - key: qux
     rate_limit:
-      unit: minute
       unlimited: true
diff --git a/src/config/config_impl.go b/src/config/config_impl.go
index a678b111..20d30a6c 100644
--- a/src/config/config_impl.go
+++ b/src/config/config_impl.go
@@ -115,16 +115,18 @@ func (this *rateLimitDescriptor) loadDescriptors(config RateLimitConfigToLoad, p
 		var rateLimit *RateLimit = nil
 		var rateLimitDebugString string = ""
 		if descriptorConfig.RateLimit != nil {
+			unlimited := descriptorConfig.RateLimit.Unlimited
+
 			value, present :=
 				pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_Unit_value[strings.ToUpper(descriptorConfig.RateLimit.Unit)]
-			if !present || value == int32(pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_UNKNOWN) {
+			if (!present || value == int32(pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_UNKNOWN)) && !unlimited {
 				panic(newRateLimitConfigError(
 					config,
 					fmt.Sprintf("invalid rate limit unit '%s'", descriptorConfig.RateLimit.Unit)))
 			}
 
 			rateLimit = NewRateLimit(
-				descriptorConfig.RateLimit.RequestsPerUnit, pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_Unit(value), statsManager.NewStats(newParentKey), descriptorConfig.RateLimit.Unlimited)
+				descriptorConfig.RateLimit.RequestsPerUnit, pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_Unit(value), statsManager.NewStats(newParentKey), unlimited)
 			rateLimitDebugString = fmt.Sprintf(
 				" ratelimit={requests_per_unit=%d, unit=%s, unlimited=%t}", rateLimit.Limit.RequestsPerUnit,
 				rateLimit.Limit.Unit.String(), rateLimit.Unlimited)
diff --git a/test/config/basic_config.yaml b/test/config/basic_config.yaml
index 21c98d82..33772366 100644
--- a/test/config/basic_config.yaml
+++ b/test/config/basic_config.yaml
@@ -59,5 +59,4 @@ descriptors:
 
   - key: key6
     rate_limit:
-      unit: day
       unlimited: true
diff --git a/test/config/config_test.go b/test/config/config_test.go
index f63419fb..7bc05be7 100644
--- a/test/config/config_test.go
+++ b/test/config/config_test.go
@@ -172,7 +172,6 @@ func TestBasicConfig(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	rl.Stats.TotalHits.Inc()
 	rl.Stats.WithinLimit.Inc()
-	assert.Equal(pb.RateLimitResponse_RateLimit_DAY, rl.Limit.Unit)
 	assert.True(rl.Unlimited)
 	assert.EqualValues(1, stats.NewCounter("test-domain.key6.total_hits").Value())
 	assert.EqualValues(1, stats.NewCounter("test-domain.key6.within_limit").Value())