diff --git a/internal/server/limiter.go b/internal/server/limiter.go
index b94cdd8..9250d5a 100644
--- a/internal/server/limiter.go
+++ b/internal/server/limiter.go
@@ -41,7 +41,14 @@ func (l *Limiter) Allow(key string) (remaining int64, ok bool, retryAfter time.D
 	shard.mu.Lock()
 	defer shard.mu.Unlock()
 	if len(shard.buckets) >= l.maxBuckets && shard.buckets[key] == nil {
-		l.evictShard(shard, now)
+		l.trimShard(shard, now.Add(-l.window))
+		if len(shard.buckets) >= l.maxBuckets {
+			// Fail closed: evicting a live bucket would let an attacker
+			// mint fresh keys until their own (or a victim's) full bucket
+			// is dropped, resetting its counter and defeating the limit.
+			// Deny unknown keys while the shard is full instead.
+			return 0, false, l.window
+		}
 	}
 	hits := shard.buckets[key]
 	cutoff := now.Add(-l.window)
@@ -73,23 +80,7 @@ func (l *Limiter) sweep() {
 	}
 }
 
-// evictShard makes room in a full shard: expired buckets first, then
-// arbitrary victims if the attack is still filling the window.
-func (l *Limiter) evictShard(shard *limShard, now time.Time) {
-	l.trimShard(shard, now.Add(-l.window))
-	for len(shard.buckets) >= l.maxBuckets {
-		victimized := false
-		for k := range shard.buckets {
-			delete(shard.buckets, k)
-			victimized = true
-			break
-		}
-		if !victimized {
-			break
-		}
-	}
-}
-
+// trimShard drops buckets whose hits have all expired past cutoff.
 func (l *Limiter) trimShard(shard *limShard, cutoff time.Time) {
 	for k, hits := range shard.buckets {
 		j := 0
diff --git a/internal/server/limiter_test.go b/internal/server/limiter_test.go
index bc18005..79a9f78 100644
--- a/internal/server/limiter_test.go
+++ b/internal/server/limiter_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 func TestClientKeyIgnoresBogusXFF(t *testing.T) {
@@ -37,3 +38,37 @@ func TestLimiterBucketsBounded(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("buckets = %d, want <= %d", total, maxBucketsPerShard*64)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestLimiterFullShardFailsClosed(t *testing.T) {
+	l := &Limiter{limit: 10, window: time.Hour, maxBuckets: 1}
+	for i := range l.shards {
+		l.shards[i].buckets = make(map[string][]time.Time)
+	}
+	first := "client-a"
+	peer := ""
+	for i := 0; i < 10000 && peer == ""; i++ {
+		if k := fmt.Sprintf("k%d", i); shardIndex(k) == shardIndex(first) && k != first {
+			peer = k
+		}
+	}
+	if peer == "" {
+		t.Fatal("no key found hashing to the same shard")
+	}
+
+	if _, ok, _ := l.Allow(first); !ok {
+		t.Fatal("first key should be admitted")
+	}
+	// Shard is full (maxBuckets=1). The unknown peer key must be denied
+	// rather than evicting the live bucket, which would reset first's
+	// counter.
+	_, ok, retry := l.Allow(peer)
+	if ok {
+		t.Fatal("unknown key should be denied when shard is full")
+	}
+	if retry <= 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("retryAfter = %v; want > 0", retry)
+	}
+	if _, ok, _ := l.Allow(first); !ok {
+		t.Fatal("existing key's bucket must survive peer admission attempts")
+	}
+}