diff --git a/backend/middleware/rate_limiter.py b/backend/middleware/rate_limiter.py
index e0abc7e..22600e9 100644
--- a/backend/middleware/rate_limiter.py
+++ b/backend/middleware/rate_limiter.py
@@ -1,8 +1,16 @@
+import os
 import time
-from collections import defaultdict
 from fastapi import Request, HTTPException
 
-from utils import get_client_ip
+TRUST_PROXY = os.getenv("TRUST_PROXY", "false").lower() == "true"
+
+
+def get_client_ip(request: Request) -> str:
+    if TRUST_PROXY:
+        forwarded = request.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")
+        if forwarded:
+            return forwarded.split(",")[0].strip()
+    return request.client.host if request.client else "unknown"
 
 
 class RateLimiter:
@@ -16,14 +24,34 @@ class RateLimiter:
     def __init__(self, requests_per_minute: int = 15):
         self.requests_per_minute = requests_per_minute
         self.window_seconds = 60
-        self.requests: dict[str, list[float]] = defaultdict(list)
+        self.requests: dict[str, list[float]] = {}
+        self.last_cleanup = time.time()
 
     def _cleanup_old_requests(self, client_ip: str, current_time: float) -> None:
         """Remove requests outside the sliding window."""
+        if client_ip not in self.requests:
+            return
+
         cutoff = current_time - self.window_seconds
         self.requests[client_ip] = [
             ts for ts in self.requests[client_ip] if ts > cutoff
         ]
+        if not self.requests[client_ip]:
+            del self.requests[client_ip]
+
+    def _cleanup_stale_entries(self, current_time: float) -> None:
+        """Periodically remove stale client entries from memory."""
+        if current_time - self.last_cleanup < self.window_seconds:
+            return
+
+        cutoff = current_time - self.window_seconds
+        for client_ip, timestamps in list(self.requests.items()):
+            fresh = [ts for ts in timestamps if ts > cutoff]
+            if fresh:
+                self.requests[client_ip] = fresh
+            else:
+                del self.requests[client_ip]
+        self.last_cleanup = current_time
 
     def check_rate_limit(self, request: Request) -> None:
         """
@@ -35,16 +63,19 @@ def check_rate_limit(self, request: Request) -> None:
         client_ip = get_client_ip(request)
         current_time = time.time()
 
+        self._cleanup_stale_entries(current_time)
         self._cleanup_old_requests(client_ip, current_time)
 
-        if len(self.requests[client_ip]) >= self.requests_per_minute:
+        client_requests = self.requests.setdefault(client_ip, [])
+
+        if len(client_requests) >= self.requests_per_minute:
             raise HTTPException(
                 status_code=429,
                 detail=f"Rate limit exceeded. Maximum {self.requests_per_minute} requests per minute.",
                 headers={"Retry-After": "60"}
             )
 
-        self.requests[client_ip].append(current_time)
+        client_requests.append(current_time)
 
 
 # Global rate limiter instance
diff --git a/backend/utils/__init__.py b/backend/utils/__init__.py
index 984ccef..bf71320 100644
--- a/backend/utils/__init__.py
+++ b/backend/utils/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
-from .request import get_client_ip
+import os
+
+from fastapi import Request
+
+TRUST_PROXY = os.getenv("TRUST_PROXY", "false").lower() == "true"
+
+
+def get_client_ip(request: Request) -> str:
+    if TRUST_PROXY:
+        forwarded = request.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")
+        if forwarded:
+            return forwarded.split(",")[0].strip()
+    return request.client.host if request.client else "unknown"
 
 __all__ = ["get_client_ip"]
diff --git a/backend/utils/request.py b/backend/utils/request.py
index f345182..19b6ac5 100644
--- a/backend/utils/request.py
+++ b/backend/utils/request.py
@@ -1,22 +1,13 @@
-from fastapi import Request
-
+import os
 
-def get_client_ip(request: Request) -> str:
-    """
-    Extract the real client IP from a request.
+from fastapi import Request
 
-    Checks X-Forwarded-For header first (for requests behind proxies/load balancers),
-    then falls back to the direct client host.
+TRUST_PROXY = os.getenv("TRUST_PROXY", "false").lower() == "true"
 
-    Args:
-        request: FastAPI Request object
 
-    Returns:
-        Client IP address string, or "unknown" if not available
-    """
-    forwarded = request.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")
-    if forwarded:
-        # X-Forwarded-For can contain multiple IPs: client, proxy1, proxy2, ...
-        # The first one is the original client IP
-        return forwarded.split(",")[0].strip()
+def get_client_ip(request: Request) -> str:
+    if TRUST_PROXY:
+        forwarded = request.headers.get("x-forwarded-for")
+        if forwarded:
+            return forwarded.split(",")[0].strip()
     return request.client.host if request.client else "unknown"