diff --git a/wakuv2/waku.go b/wakuv2/waku.go
index 8a45bbdbc..ac4e965a0 100644
--- a/wakuv2/waku.go
+++ b/wakuv2/waku.go
@@ -340,6 +340,10 @@ func New(nodeKey *ecdsa.PrivateKey, fleet string, cfg *Config, logger *zap.Logge
 		}
 	}
 
+	if cfg.EnablePeerExchangeServer {
+		opts = append(opts, node.WithPeerExchange(peer_exchange.WithRateLimiter(1, 1)))
+	}
+
 	waku.options = opts
 	waku.logger.Info("setup the go-waku node successfully")
 
@@ -1325,13 +1329,6 @@ func (w *Waku) Start() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if w.cfg.EnablePeerExchangeServer {
-		err := w.node.PeerExchange().Start(w.ctx)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-	}
-
 	w.wg.Add(2)
 
 	go func() {
diff --git a/wakuv2/waku_test.go b/wakuv2/waku_test.go
index 11ab976fa..c313a186e 100644
--- a/wakuv2/waku_test.go
+++ b/wakuv2/waku_test.go
@@ -341,6 +341,11 @@ func TestPeerExchange(t *testing.T) {
 	}, options)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	require.NoError(t, discV5Node.node.PeerExchange().Request(ctx, 1))
+	require.Error(t, discV5Node.node.PeerExchange().Request(ctx, 1)) //should fail due to rate limit
+
 	require.NoError(t, lightNode.Stop())
 	require.NoError(t, pxServerNode.Stop())
 	require.NoError(t, discV5Node.Stop())