diff --git a/include/datatype.h b/include/datatype.h
index 63dba330..4c5d6ff8 100644
--- a/include/datatype.h
+++ b/include/datatype.h
@@ -309,10 +309,6 @@ extern void time_print(uint64_t msec, struct output_ctx *octx);
 extern struct error_record *time_parse(const struct location *loc,
 				       const char *c, uint64_t *res);
 
-extern struct error_record *rate_parse(const struct location *loc,
-				       const char *str, uint64_t *rate,
-				       uint64_t *unit);
-
 struct limit_rate {
 	uint64_t rate, unit;
 };
diff --git a/include/parser.h b/include/parser.h
index 8cfd22e9..889302ba 100644
--- a/include/parser.h
+++ b/include/parser.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ enum startcond_type {
 	PARSER_SC_META,
 	PARSER_SC_POLICY,
 	PARSER_SC_QUOTA,
+	PARSER_SC_RATE,
 	PARSER_SC_SCTP,
 	PARSER_SC_SECMARK,
 	PARSER_SC_TCP,
diff --git a/src/datatype.c b/src/datatype.c
index 1950a2f3..18973851 100644
--- a/src/datatype.c
+++ b/src/datatype.c
@@ -1488,67 +1488,6 @@ const struct datatype *set_datatype_alloc(const struct datatype *orig_dtype,
 	return dtype;
 }
 
-static struct error_record *time_unit_parse(const struct location *loc,
-					    const char *str, uint64_t *unit)
-{
-	if (strcmp(str, "second") == 0)
-		*unit = 1ULL;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "minute") == 0)
-		*unit = 1ULL * 60;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "hour") == 0)
-		*unit = 1ULL * 60 * 60;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "day") == 0)
-		*unit = 1ULL * 60 * 60 * 24;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "week") == 0)
-		*unit = 1ULL * 60 * 60 * 24 * 7;
-	else
-		return error(loc, "Wrong time format, expecting second, minute, hour, day or week");
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-
-static struct error_record *data_unit_parse(const struct location *loc,
-					    const char *str, uint64_t *rate)
-{
-	if (strcmp(str, "bytes") == 0)
-		*rate = 1ULL;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "kbytes") == 0)
-		*rate = 1024;
-	else if (strcmp(str, "mbytes") == 0)
-		*rate = 1024 * 1024;
-	else
-		return error(loc, "Wrong unit format, expecting bytes, kbytes or mbytes");
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-
-struct error_record *rate_parse(const struct location *loc, const char *str,
-				uint64_t *rate, uint64_t *unit)
-{
-	const char *slash, *rate_str;
-	struct error_record *erec;
-
-	slash = strchr(str, '/');
-	if (!slash)
-		return error(loc, "wrong rate format, expecting {bytes,kbytes,mbytes}/{second,minute,hour,day,week}");
-
-	rate_str = strndup(str, slash - str);
-	if (!rate_str)
-		memory_allocation_error();
-
-	erec = data_unit_parse(loc, rate_str, rate);
-	free_const(rate_str);
-
-	if (erec != NULL)
-		return erec;
-
-	erec = time_unit_parse(loc, slash + 1, unit);
-	if (erec != NULL)
-		return erec;
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 static const struct symbol_table boolean_tbl = {
 	.base		= BASE_DECIMAL,
 	.symbols	= {
diff --git a/src/parser_bison.y b/src/parser_bison.y
index 9639352a..18174859 100644
--- a/src/parser_bison.y
+++ b/src/parser_bison.y
@@ -1113,6 +1113,7 @@ close_scope_osf		: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_EXPR_OSF); }
 close_scope_policy	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_POLICY); };
 close_scope_quota	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_QUOTA); };
 close_scope_queue	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_EXPR_QUEUE); };
+close_scope_rate	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_RATE); };
 close_scope_reject	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_STMT_REJECT); };
 close_scope_reset	: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_CMD_RESET); };
 close_scope_rt		: { scanner_pop_start_cond(nft->scanner, PARSER_SC_EXPR_RT); };
@@ -3557,7 +3558,7 @@ limit_stmt_alloc	:	LIMIT	RATE
 			}
 			;
 
-limit_stmt		:	limit_stmt_alloc limit_args
+limit_stmt		:	limit_stmt_alloc limit_args close_scope_rate
 			;
 
 limit_args		:	limit_mode	limit_rate_pkts	limit_burst_pkts
@@ -3652,21 +3653,7 @@ limit_burst_bytes	:	/* empty */			{ $$ = 0; }
 			|	BURST	NUM	bytes_unit	{ $$ = $2 * $3; }
 			;
 
-limit_rate_bytes	:	NUM     STRING
-			{
-				struct error_record *erec;
-				uint64_t rate, unit;
-
-				erec = rate_parse(&@$, $2, &rate, &unit);
-				free_const($2);
-				if (erec != NULL) {
-					erec_queue(erec, state->msgs);
-					YYERROR;
-				}
-				$$.rate = rate * $1;
-				$$.unit = unit;
-			}
-			|	NUM bytes_unit SLASH time_unit
+limit_rate_bytes	:	NUM bytes_unit SLASH time_unit
 			{
 				$$.rate = $1 * $2;
 				$$.unit = $4;
@@ -4897,7 +4884,7 @@ ct_obj_alloc		:	/* empty */
 			}
 			;
 
-limit_config		:	RATE	limit_mode	limit_rate_pkts	limit_burst_pkts
+limit_config		:	RATE	limit_mode	limit_rate_pkts	limit_burst_pkts	close_scope_rate
 			{
 				struct limit *limit;
 
@@ -4908,7 +4895,7 @@ limit_config		:	RATE	limit_mode	limit_rate_pkts	limit_burst_pkts
 				limit->type	= NFT_LIMIT_PKTS;
 				limit->flags	= $2;
 			}
-			|	RATE	limit_mode	limit_rate_bytes	limit_burst_bytes
+			|	RATE	limit_mode	limit_rate_bytes	limit_burst_bytes close_scope_rate
 			{
 				struct limit *limit;
 
diff --git a/src/scanner.l b/src/scanner.l
index 4cbc8a44..9d8fade8 100644
--- a/src/scanner.l
+++ b/src/scanner.l
@@ -219,6 +219,7 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 %s SCANSTATE_META
 %s SCANSTATE_POLICY
 %s SCANSTATE_QUOTA
+%x SCANSTATE_RATE
 %s SCANSTATE_SCTP
 %s SCANSTATE_SECMARK
 %s SCANSTATE_TCP
@@ -275,12 +276,12 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 "ge"			{ return GTE; }
 ">"			{ return GT; }
 "gt"			{ return GT; }
-","			{ return COMMA; }
+<*>","			{ return COMMA; }
 "."			{ return DOT; }
 ":"			{ return COLON; }
-";"			{ return SEMICOLON; }
+<*>";"			{ return SEMICOLON; }
 "{"			{ return '{'; }
-"}"			{ return '}'; }
+<*>"}"			{ return '}'; }
 "["			{ return '['; }
 "]"			{ return ']'; }
 "("			{ return '('; }
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 "or"			{ return '|'; }
 "!"			{ return NOT; }
 "not"			{ return NOT; }
-"/"			{ return SLASH; }
+<*>"/"			{ return SLASH; }
 "-"			{ return DASH; }
 "*"			{ return ASTERISK; }
 "@"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_AT); return AT; }
@@ -410,12 +411,12 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 	"hooks"			{ return HOOKS; }
 }
 
-"counter"		{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_COUNTER); return COUNTER; }
+<*>"counter"		{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_COUNTER); return COUNTER; }
 <SCANSTATE_COUNTER,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_STMT_SYNPROXY,SCANSTATE_EXPR_OSF,SCANSTATE_TUNNEL>"name"			{ return NAME; }
-<SCANSTATE_COUNTER,SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT>"packets"		{ return PACKETS; }
-<SCANSTATE_COUNTER,SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA>"bytes"	{ return BYTES; }
-<SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA>"kbytes"	{ return KBYTES; }
-<SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA>"mbytes"	{ return MBYTES; }
+<SCANSTATE_COUNTER,SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_RATE>"packets"		{ return PACKETS; }
+<SCANSTATE_COUNTER,SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_RATE>"bytes"	{ return BYTES; }
+<SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_RATE>"kbytes"	{ return KBYTES; }
+<SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_RATE>"mbytes"	{ return MBYTES; }
 
 "last"				{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_LAST); return LAST; }
 <SCANSTATE_LAST>{
@@ -428,7 +429,7 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 	"rules"			{ return RULES; }
 }
 
-"log"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_STMT_LOG); return LOG; }
+<*>"log"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_STMT_LOG); return LOG; }
 <SCANSTATE_STMT_LOG,SCANSTATE_STMT_NAT,SCANSTATE_IP,SCANSTATE_IP6>"prefix"		{ return PREFIX; }
 <SCANSTATE_STMT_LOG>{
 	"snaplen"		{ return SNAPLEN; }
@@ -453,8 +454,8 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 	"fanout"	{ return FANOUT;}
 }
 "limit"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_LIMIT); return LIMIT; }
-<SCANSTATE_LIMIT>{
-	"rate"			{ return RATE; }
+<SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_RATE>{
+	"rate"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_RATE); return RATE; }
 	"burst"			{ return BURST; }
 
 	/* time_unit */
@@ -462,17 +463,17 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 	"minute"		{ return MINUTE; }
 	"week"			{ return WEEK; }
 }
-<SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA>"over"		{ return OVER; }
+<SCANSTATE_CT,SCANSTATE_LIMIT,SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_RATE>"over"		{ return OVER; }
 
 "quota"			{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_QUOTA); return QUOTA; }
-<SCANSTATE_QUOTA>{
+<SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_RATE>{
 	"until"		{ return UNTIL; }
 }
 
 <SCANSTATE_QUOTA,SCANSTATE_LAST>"used"		{ return USED; }
 
-"hour"			{ return HOUR; }
-"day"			{ return DAY; }
+<*>"hour"		{ return HOUR; }
+<*>"day"		{ return DAY; }
 
 "reject"		{ scanner_push_start_cond(yyscanner, SCANSTATE_STMT_REJECT); return _REJECT; }
 <SCANSTATE_STMT_REJECT>{
@@ -901,7 +902,7 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 				return STRING;
 			}
 
-{hexstring}		{
+<*>{hexstring}		{
 				errno = 0;
 				yylval->val = strtoull(yytext, NULL, 16);
 				if (errno != 0) {
@@ -911,7 +912,7 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 				return NUM;
 			}
 
-{decstring}		{
+<*>{decstring}		{
 				int base = yytext[0] == '0' ? 8 : 10;
 				char *end;
 
@@ -945,32 +946,32 @@ addrstring	({macaddr}|{ip4addr}|{ip6addr})
 				return STRING;
 			}
 
-{newline_crlf}		{	return CRLF; }
+<*>{newline_crlf}	{	return CRLF; }
 
-\\{newline}		{
+<*>\\{newline}		{
 				reset_pos(yyget_extra(yyscanner), yylloc);
 			}
 
-{newline}		{
+<*>{newline}		{
 				reset_pos(yyget_extra(yyscanner), yylloc);
 				return NEWLINE;
 			}
 
-{tab}+
-{space}+
-{comment_line}		{
+<*>{tab}+
+<*>{space}+
+<*>{comment_line}	{
 				reset_pos(yyget_extra(yyscanner), yylloc);
 			}
-{comment}
+<*>{comment}
 
-<<EOF>> 		{
+<*><<EOF>> 		{
 				update_pos(yyget_extra(yyscanner), yylloc, 1);
 				scanner_pop_buffer(yyscanner);
 				if (YY_CURRENT_BUFFER == NULL)
 					return TOKEN_EOF;
 			}
 
-.			{ return JUNK; }
+<*>.			{ return JUNK; }
 
 %%
 
diff --git a/tests/py/any/limit.t b/tests/py/any/limit.t
index 2a84e3f5..5c95ffa5 100644
--- a/tests/py/any/limit.t
+++ b/tests/py/any/limit.t
@@ -49,3 +49,9 @@ limit rate over 10230 mbytes/second;ok
 limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes;ok
 limit rate over 1025 kbytes/second burst 1023 kbytes;ok
 limit rate over 1025 mbytes/second burst 1025 kbytes;ok
+
+limit rate over 1025bytes/second burst 512bytes;ok;limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes
+limit rate over 1025bytes /second burst 512bytes;ok;limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes
+limit rate over 1025bytes/ second burst 512bytes;ok;limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes
+limit rate over 1025bytes / second burst 512bytes;ok;limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes
+limit rate over 1025 bytes / second burst 512bytes;ok;limit rate over 1025 bytes/second burst 512 bytes
diff --git a/tests/py/any/limit.t.json b/tests/py/any/limit.t.json
index 73160b27..49a48960 100644
--- a/tests/py/any/limit.t.json
+++ b/tests/py/any/limit.t.json
@@ -360,3 +360,73 @@
         }
     }
 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes/second burst 512bytes
+[
+    {
+        "limit": {
+            "burst": 512,
+            "burst_unit": "bytes",
+            "inv": true,
+            "per": "second",
+            "rate": 1025,
+            "rate_unit": "bytes"
+        }
+    }
+]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes /second burst 512bytes
+[
+    {
+        "limit": {
+            "burst": 512,
+            "burst_unit": "bytes",
+            "inv": true,
+            "per": "second",
+            "rate": 1025,
+            "rate_unit": "bytes"
+        }
+    }
+]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes/ second burst 512bytes
+[
+    {
+        "limit": {
+            "burst": 512,
+            "burst_unit": "bytes",
+            "inv": true,
+            "per": "second",
+            "rate": 1025,
+            "rate_unit": "bytes"
+        }
+    }
+]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes / second burst 512bytes
+[
+    {
+        "limit": {
+            "burst": 512,
+            "burst_unit": "bytes",
+            "inv": true,
+            "per": "second",
+            "rate": 1025,
+            "rate_unit": "bytes"
+        }
+    }
+]
+
+# limit rate over 1025 bytes / second burst 512bytes
+[
+    {
+        "limit": {
+            "burst": 512,
+            "burst_unit": "bytes",
+            "inv": true,
+            "per": "second",
+            "rate": 1025,
+            "rate_unit": "bytes"
+        }
+    }
+]
diff --git a/tests/py/any/limit.t.payload b/tests/py/any/limit.t.payload
index dc6701b3..901275da 100644
--- a/tests/py/any/limit.t.payload
+++ b/tests/py/any/limit.t.payload
@@ -122,3 +122,23 @@ ip test-ip4 output
 # limit rate over 1025 mbytes/second burst 1025 kbytes
 ip test-ip4 output
   [ limit rate 1074790400/second burst 1049600 type bytes flags 0x1 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes/second burst 512bytes
+ip test-ip4 output
+  [ limit rate 1025/second burst 512 type bytes flags 0x1 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes /second burst 512bytes
+ip test-ip4 output
+  [ limit rate 1025/second burst 512 type bytes flags 0x1 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes/ second burst 512bytes
+ip test-ip4 output
+  [ limit rate 1025/second burst 512 type bytes flags 0x1 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025bytes / second burst 512bytes
+ip test-ip4 output
+  [ limit rate 1025/second burst 512 type bytes flags 0x1 ]
+
+# limit rate over 1025 bytes / second burst 512bytes
+ip test-ip4 output
+  [ limit rate 1025/second burst 512 type bytes flags 0x1 ]