diff --git a/server/certificates/acme_client.go b/server/certificates/acme_client.go
index f42fd8f..a05723a 100644
--- a/server/certificates/acme_client.go
+++ b/server/certificates/acme_client.go
@@ -70,6 +70,21 @@ func NewAcmeClient(cfg config.ACMEConfig, enableHTTPServer bool, challengeCache
 		}
 	}
 
+	acmeClientOrderLimit, err := equalizer.NewTokenBucket(25, 15*time.Minute)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("error creating token bucket")
+	}
+
+	acmeClientRequestLimit, err := equalizer.NewTokenBucket(5, 1*time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("error creating token bucket")
+	}
+
+	acmeClientFailLimit, err := equalizer.NewTokenBucket(5, 1*time.Hour)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal().Err(err).Msg("error creating token bucket")
+	}
+
 	return &AcmeClient{
 		legoClient:              acmeClient,
 		dnsChallengerLegoClient: mainDomainAcmeClient,
@@ -82,11 +97,11 @@ func NewAcmeClient(cfg config.ACMEConfig, enableHTTPServer bool, challengeCache
 
 		// rate limit is 300 / 3 hours, we want 200 / 2 hours but to refill more often, so that's 25 new domains every 15 minutes
 		// TODO: when this is used a lot, we probably have to think of a somewhat better solution?
-		acmeClientOrderLimit: equalizer.NewTokenBucket(25, 15*time.Minute),
+		acmeClientOrderLimit: acmeClientOrderLimit,
 		// rate limit is 20 / second, we want 5 / second (especially as one cert takes at least two requests)
-		acmeClientRequestLimit: equalizer.NewTokenBucket(5, 1*time.Second),
+		acmeClientRequestLimit: acmeClientRequestLimit,
 		// rate limit is 5 / hour https://letsencrypt.org/docs/failed-validation-limit/
-		acmeClientFailLimit: equalizer.NewTokenBucket(5, 1*time.Hour),
+		acmeClientFailLimit: acmeClientFailLimit,
 		// checkUserLimit() use this to rate also per user
 		acmeClientCertificateLimitPerUser: map[string]*equalizer.TokenBucket{},
 	}, nil
diff --git a/server/certificates/certificates.go b/server/certificates/certificates.go
index 67219dd..268098e 100644
--- a/server/certificates/certificates.go
+++ b/server/certificates/certificates.go
@@ -161,10 +161,10 @@ func (c *AcmeClient) checkUserLimit(user string) error {
 	userLimit, ok := c.acmeClientCertificateLimitPerUser[user]
 	if !ok {
 		// Each user can only add 10 new domains per day.
-		userLimit = equalizer.NewTokenBucket(10, time.Hour*24)
+		userLimit, _ = equalizer.NewTokenBucket(10, time.Hour*24)
 		c.acmeClientCertificateLimitPerUser[user] = userLimit
 	}
-	if !userLimit.Ask() {
+	if !userLimit.TryAcquire() {
 		return fmt.Errorf("user '%s' error: %w", user, ErrUserRateLimitExceeded)
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -243,16 +243,21 @@ func (c *AcmeClient) obtainCert(acmeClient *lego.Client, domains []string, renew
 	// request actual cert
 	var res *certificate.Resource
 	var err error
+	ctx := context.Background()
 	if renew != nil && renew.CertURL != "" {
 		if c.acmeUseRateLimits {
-			c.acmeClientRequestLimit.Take()
+			err = c.acmeClientFailLimit.Acquire(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to acquire fail limit")
+			}
 		}
 		log.Debug().Msgf("Renewing certificate for: %v", domains)
 		res, err = acmeClient.Certificate.Renew(*renew, true, false, "")
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Error().Err(err).Msgf("Couldn't renew certificate for %v, trying to request a new one", domains)
-			if c.acmeUseRateLimits {
-				c.acmeClientFailLimit.Take()
+			err = c.acmeClientOrderLimit.Acquire(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to acquire order limit")
 			}
 			res = nil
 		}
@@ -265,8 +270,14 @@ func (c *AcmeClient) obtainCert(acmeClient *lego.Client, domains []string, renew
 		}
 
 		if c.acmeUseRateLimits {
-			c.acmeClientOrderLimit.Take()
-			c.acmeClientRequestLimit.Take()
+			err = c.acmeClientOrderLimit.Acquire(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to acquire order limit")
+			}
+			err = c.acmeClientRequestLimit.Acquire(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to acquire request limit")
+			}
 		}
 		log.Debug().Msgf("Re-requesting new certificate for %v", domains)
 		res, err = acmeClient.Certificate.Obtain(certificate.ObtainRequest{
@@ -275,7 +286,10 @@ func (c *AcmeClient) obtainCert(acmeClient *lego.Client, domains []string, renew
 			MustStaple: false,
 		})
 		if c.acmeUseRateLimits && err != nil {
-			c.acmeClientFailLimit.Take()
+			err = c.acmeClientFailLimit.Acquire(ctx)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error().Err(err).Msg("Failed to acquire fail limit")
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	if err != nil {