diff --git a/controllers/imageupdateautomation_controller.go b/controllers/imageupdateautomation_controller.go
index a1068ae9..3651d4a0 100644
--- a/controllers/imageupdateautomation_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/imageupdateautomation_controller.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import (
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/controller"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/handler"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/predicate"
+	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/ratelimiter"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/reconcile"
 	"sigs.k8s.io/controller-runtime/pkg/source"
 
@@ -95,6 +96,7 @@ type ImageUpdateAutomationReconciler struct {
 
 type ImageUpdateAutomationReconcilerOptions struct {
 	MaxConcurrentReconciles int
+	RateLimiter             ratelimiter.RateLimiter
 }
 
 // +kubebuilder:rbac:groups=image.toolkit.fluxcd.io,resources=imageupdateautomations,verbs=get;list;watch;create;update;patch;delete
@@ -423,6 +425,7 @@ func (r *ImageUpdateAutomationReconciler) SetupWithManager(mgr ctrl.Manager, opt
 		Watches(&source.Kind{Type: &imagev1_reflect.ImagePolicy{}}, handler.EnqueueRequestsFromMapFunc(r.automationsForImagePolicy)).
 		WithOptions(controller.Options{
 			MaxConcurrentReconciles: opts.MaxConcurrentReconciles,
+			RateLimiter:             opts.RateLimiter,
 		}).
 		Complete(r)
 }
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index f69bd01f..94a6ddd2 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	imagev1_reflect "github.com/fluxcd/image-reflector-controller/api/v1beta1"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/acl"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/client"
+	helper "github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/controller"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/events"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/leaderelection"
 	"github.com/fluxcd/pkg/runtime/logger"
@@ -70,6 +71,7 @@ func main() {
 		aclOptions            acl.Options
 		logOptions            logger.Options
 		leaderElectionOptions leaderelection.Options
+		rateLimiterOptions    helper.RateLimiterOptions
 		watchAllNamespaces    bool
 		concurrent            int
 	)
@@ -84,6 +86,7 @@ func main() {
 	logOptions.BindFlags(flag.CommandLine)
 	leaderElectionOptions.BindFlags(flag.CommandLine)
 	aclOptions.BindFlags(flag.CommandLine)
+	rateLimiterOptions.BindFlags(flag.CommandLine)
 	flag.Parse()
 
 	log := logger.NewLogger(logOptions)
@@ -133,6 +136,7 @@ func main() {
 		NoCrossNamespaceRef: aclOptions.NoCrossNamespaceRefs,
 	}).SetupWithManager(mgr, controllers.ImageUpdateAutomationReconcilerOptions{
 		MaxConcurrentReconciles: concurrent,
+		RateLimiter:             helper.GetRateLimiter(rateLimiterOptions),
 	}); err != nil {
 		setupLog.Error(err, "unable to create controller", "controller", "ImageUpdateAutomation")
 		os.Exit(1)