diff --git a/src/controllers/nostr/relay.ts b/src/controllers/nostr/relay.ts
index 93ffb199..6b1c2fbc 100644
--- a/src/controllers/nostr/relay.ts
+++ b/src/controllers/nostr/relay.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function connectStream(socket: WebSocket, ip: string | undefined) {
   };
 
   socket.onmessage = (e) => {
-    assertRateLimit(limiters.msg);
+    if (rateLimited(limiters.msg)) return;
 
     if (typeof e.data !== 'string') {
       socket.close(1003, 'Invalid message');
@@ -82,16 +82,17 @@ function connectStream(socket: WebSocket, ip: string | undefined) {
     }
   };
 
-  function assertRateLimit(limiter: Pick<RateLimiter, 'client'>): void {
+  function rateLimited(limiter: Pick<RateLimiter, 'client'>): boolean {
     if (ip) {
       const client = limiter.client(ip);
       try {
         client.hit();
-      } catch (error) {
+      } catch {
         socket.close(1008, 'Rate limit exceeded');
-        throw error;
+        return true;
       }
     }
+    return false;
   }
 
   /** Handle client message. */
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ function connectStream(socket: WebSocket, ip: string | undefined) {
 
   /** Handle REQ. Start a subscription. */
   async function handleReq([_, subId, ...filters]: NostrClientREQ): Promise<void> {
-    assertRateLimit(limiters.req);
+    if (rateLimited(limiters.req)) return;
 
     const controller = new AbortController();
     controllers.get(subId)?.abort();
@@ -156,11 +157,8 @@ function connectStream(socket: WebSocket, ip: string | undefined) {
   async function handleEvent([_, event]: NostrClientEVENT): Promise<void> {
     relayEventsCounter.inc({ kind: event.kind.toString() });
 
-    if (NKinds.ephemeral(event.kind)) {
-      assertRateLimit(limiters.ephemeral);
-    } else {
-      assertRateLimit(limiters.event);
-    }
+    const limiter = NKinds.ephemeral(event.kind) ? limiters.ephemeral : limiters.event;
+    if (rateLimited(limiter)) return;
 
     try {
       // This will store it (if eligible) and run other side-effects.
@@ -187,7 +185,7 @@ function connectStream(socket: WebSocket, ip: string | undefined) {
 
   /** Handle COUNT. Return the number of events matching the filters. */
   async function handleCount([_, subId, ...filters]: NostrClientCOUNT): Promise<void> {
-    assertRateLimit(limiters.req);
+    if (rateLimited(limiters.req)) return;
     const store = await Storages.db();
     const { count } = await store.count(filters, { timeout: Conf.db.timeouts.relay });
     send(['COUNT', subId, { count, approximate: false }]);