diff --git a/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.js b/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.js
index c7c0a901f..7be35cba0 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.js
+++ b/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.js
@@ -722,8 +722,15 @@ export async function checkRateLimit(key, limit, windowMs, backend) {
  * budget. This resolves the key and the per-subscription limit exactly as the
  * gate does — same spec in, same bucket out — so a handler can charge a second
  * scope conditionally. Returns true if allowed; fails open on backend error.
+ * Takes the array form too; windows charge in order, no refund on refusal.
  */
 export async function consumeRouteRateLimit(req, spec) {
+    if (Array.isArray(spec)) {
+        for (const window of spec) {
+            if (!(await consumeRouteRateLimit(req, window))) return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
     const {
         window: windowMs,
         key: strategy = 'fingerprint',
diff --git a/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.test.js b/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.test.js
index 6a530f165..2f063b383 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.test.js
+++ b/src/backend/core/http/middleware/rateLimit.test.js
@@ -1506,6 +1506,20 @@ describe('consumeRouteRateLimit', () => {
         expect(await consumeRouteRateLimit(reqFor(2), opts)).toBe(true);
     });
 
+    it('charges every window of an array spec, and any refusal refuses', async () => {
+        // The array form routes use (burst + sustained); the tightest bites.
+        const specs = [
+            { limit: 5, window: 60_000, key: 'user', scope: uniqueScope() },
+            { limit: 2, window: 60_000, key: 'user', scope: uniqueScope() },
+        ];
+        const req = { actor: { user: { id: 9 } }, headers: {} };
+        expect(await consumeRouteRateLimit(req, specs)).toBe(true);
+        expect(await consumeRouteRateLimit(req, specs)).toBe(true);
+        expect(await consumeRouteRateLimit(req, specs)).toBe(false);
+        // The refusing window really was the second one, not the first.
+        expect(await consumeRouteRateLimit(req, specs[0])).toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it('applies bySubscription overrides via the wired metering service', async () => {
         configureRateLimit({
             metering: {