diff --git a/vault/quotas/quotas_rate_limit.go b/vault/quotas/quotas_rate_limit.go
index ad31cee437..2f8ee0cd39 100644
--- a/vault/quotas/quotas_rate_limit.go
+++ b/vault/quotas/quotas_rate_limit.go
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ func (rlq *RateLimitQuota) initialize(logger log.Logger, ms *metricsutil.Cluster
 // in which we stop the ticker and return.
 func (rlq *RateLimitQuota) purgeBlockedClients() {
 	rlq.lock.RLock()
+	if rlq.purgeInterval <= 0 {
+		rlq.purgeInterval = DefaultRateLimitPurgeInterval
+	}
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(rlq.purgeInterval)
 	rlq.lock.RUnlock()