diff --git a/policies/ratelimits.go b/policies/ratelimits.go
index 6a78e7c..9f9c497 100644
--- a/policies/ratelimits.go
+++ b/policies/ratelimits.go
@@ -13,7 +13,11 @@ func EventIPRateLimiter(tokensPerInterval int, interval time.Duration, maxTokens
 	rl := startRateLimitSystem[string](tokensPerInterval, interval, maxTokens)
 
 	return func(ctx context.Context, _ *nostr.Event) (reject bool, msg string) {
-		return rl(khatru.GetIP(ctx)), "rate-limited: slow down, please"
+		ip := khatru.GetIP(ctx)
+		if ip == "" {
+			return false, ""
+		}
+		return rl(ip), "rate-limited: slow down, please"
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/utils.go b/utils.go
index 4060764..4745cd1 100644
--- a/utils.go
+++ b/utils.go
@@ -41,7 +41,12 @@ func GetAuthed(ctx context.Context) string {
 }
 
 func GetIP(ctx context.Context) string {
-	return GetIPFromRequest(GetConnection(ctx).Request)
+	conn := GetConnection(ctx)
+	if conn == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
+	return GetIPFromRequest(conn.Request)
 }
 
 func GetSubscriptionID(ctx context.Context) string {