diff --git a/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go b/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
index a82a3b3d8..8808c0f2b 100644
--- a/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/ingress/controller/config/config.go
@@ -467,6 +467,11 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	// server to the client response
 	// Default: empty
 	HideHeaders []string `json:"hide-headers"`
+
+	// LargeClientHeaderBuffers Sets the status code to return in response to rejected requests.
+	// http://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_limit_req_module.html#limit_req_status
+	// Default: 503
+	LimitReqStatus string `json:"limit-req-status"`
 }
 
 // NewDefault returns the default nginx configuration
@@ -560,6 +565,7 @@ func NewDefault() Configuration {
 		JaegerServiceName:            "nginx",
 		JaegerSamplerType:            "const",
 		JaegerSamplerParam:           "1",
+		LimitReqStatus:               "503",
 	}
 
 	if glog.V(5) {
diff --git a/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl b/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
index 7c8265d48..4040f5507 100644
--- a/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
+++ b/rootfs/etc/nginx/template/nginx.tmpl
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ http {
     underscores_in_headers          {{ if $cfg.EnableUnderscoresInHeaders }}on{{ else }}off{{ end }};
     ignore_invalid_headers          {{ if $cfg.IgnoreInvalidHeaders }}on{{ else }}off{{ end }};
 
+    limit_req_status                {{ $cfg.LimitReqStatus }};
+
     {{ if $cfg.EnableOpentracing }}
     opentracing on;
     {{ end }}