diff --git a/src/settings-onboarding-page.js b/src/settings-onboarding-page.js
index 4c90d58c..2763e014 100644
--- a/src/settings-onboarding-page.js
+++ b/src/settings-onboarding-page.js
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ async function pollHosted(generation){
   } catch(e){
     if(generation!==hostedGeneration)return;
     hostedFlow=false;
-    say('hosted-service-result','GitHub sign-in failed: '+(e.message==='denied'?'Sign-in was not approved. Click Sign in with GitHub to try again.':e.message==='expired'?'The sign-in code expired. Click Sign in with GitHub to get a new code.':e.message));
+    say('hosted-service-result','GitHub sign-in failed: '+(e.message==='denied'?'Sign-in was not approved. Click Sign in with GitHub to try again.':e.message==='expired'?'The sign-in code expired. Click Sign in with GitHub to get a new code.':e.message==='rate_limited'?'The card service received too many sign-in requests. Wait a while before signing in again.':e.message));
   }
 }
 load();
diff --git a/test/settings-hosted-rate-feedback.test.js b/test/settings-hosted-rate-feedback.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a93134b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/settings-hosted-rate-feedback.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import test from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import {runInNewContext} from 'node:vm';
+import {SERVICE_SCRIPT} from '../src/settings-onboarding-page.js';
+test('hosted sign-in rate limit explains why the user should wait',async()=>{
+ const nodes=new Map();const get=id=>{if(!nodes.has(id))nodes.set(id,{value:'https://cards.example',hidden:true,addEventListener(k,fn){this[k]=fn},setAttribute(){},replaceChildren(){}});return nodes.get(id)};
+ const say=(id,text)=>get(id).textContent=text;
+ const start=SERVICE_SCRIPT.indexOf('async function pollHosted(');const end=SERVICE_SCRIPT.lastIndexOf('load();');
+ const context={$:get,say,hostedFlow:true,hostedGeneration:1,api:async()=>({status:'rate_limited'}),load(){throw Error('should not load after rate limit')}};
+ runInNewContext(SERVICE_SCRIPT.slice(start,end),context);await context.pollHosted(1);
+ assert.equal(get('hosted-service-result').textContent,'GitHub sign-in failed: The card service received too many sign-in requests. Wait a while before signing in again.');
+ assert.equal(context.hostedFlow,false);
+});