diff --git a/guix/swh.scm b/guix/swh.scm
index c253e217da..42f38ee048 100644
--- a/guix/swh.scm
+++ b/guix/swh.scm
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
   #:use-module (guix base16)
   #:use-module (guix build utils)
   #:use-module ((guix build syscalls) #:select (mkdtemp!))
+  #:use-module (web uri)
   #:use-module (web client)
   #:use-module (web response)
   #:use-module (json)
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@
   #:use-module (ice-9 popen)
   #:use-module ((ice-9 ftw) #:select (scandir))
   #:export (%swh-base-url
+            %allow-request?
+
+            request-rate-limit-reached?
 
             origin?
             origin-id
@@ -196,31 +200,71 @@ Software Heritage."
     ((? string? str) str)
     ((? null?) #f)))
 
+(define %allow-request?
+  ;; Takes a URL and method (e.g., the 'http-get' procedure) and returns true
+  ;; to keep going.  This can be used to disallow a requests when
+  ;; 'request-rate-limit-reached?' returns true, for instance.
+  (make-parameter (const #t)))
+
+;; The time when the rate limit for "/origin/save" POST requests and that of
+;; other requests will be reset.
+;; See <https://archive.softwareheritage.org/api/#rate-limiting>.
+(define %save-rate-limit-reset-time 0)
+(define %general-rate-limit-reset-time 0)
+
+(define (request-rate-limit-reached? url method)
+  "Return true if the rate limit has been reached for URI."
+  (define uri
+    (string->uri url))
+
+  (define reset-time
+    (if (and (eq? method http-post)
+             (string-prefix? "/api/1/origin/save/" (uri-path uri)))
+        %save-rate-limit-reset-time
+        %general-rate-limit-reset-time))
+
+  (< (car (gettimeofday)) reset-time))
+
+(define (update-rate-limit-reset-time! url method response)
+  "Update the rate limit reset time for URL and METHOD based on the headers in
+RESPONSE."
+  (let ((uri (string->uri url)))
+    (match (assq-ref (response-headers response) 'x-ratelimit-reset)
+      ((= string->number (? number? reset))
+       (if (and (eq? method http-post)
+                (string-prefix? "/api/1/origin/save/" (uri-path uri)))
+           (set! %save-rate-limit-reset-time reset)
+           (set! %general-rate-limit-reset-time reset)))
+      (_
+       #f))))
+
 (define* (call url decode #:optional (method http-get)
                #:key (false-if-404? #t))
   "Invoke the endpoint at URL using METHOD.  Decode the resulting JSON body
 using DECODE, a one-argument procedure that takes an input port.  When
 FALSE-IF-404? is true, return #f upon 404 responses."
-  (let*-values (((response port)
-                 (method url #:streaming? #t)))
-    ;; See <https://archive.softwareheritage.org/api/#rate-limiting>.
-    (match (assq-ref (response-headers response) 'x-ratelimit-remaining)
-      (#f #t)
-      ((? (compose zero? string->number))
-       (throw 'swh-error url response))
-      (_ #t))
+  (and ((%allow-request?) url method)
+       (let*-values (((response port)
+                      (method url #:streaming? #t)))
+         ;; See <https://archive.softwareheritage.org/api/#rate-limiting>.
+         (match (assq-ref (response-headers response) 'x-ratelimit-remaining)
+           (#f #t)
+           ((? (compose zero? string->number))
+            (update-rate-limit-reset-time! url method response)
+            (throw 'swh-error url method response))
+           (_ #t))
 
-    (cond ((= 200 (response-code response))
-           (let ((result (decode port)))
-             (close-port port)
-             result))
-          ((and false-if-404?
-                (= 404 (response-code response)))
-           (close-port port)
-           #f)
-          (else
-           (close-port port)
-           (throw 'swh-error url response)))))
+         (cond ((= 200 (response-code response))
+                (let ((result (decode port)))
+                  (close-port port)
+                  result))
+               ((and false-if-404?
+                     (= 404 (response-code response)))
+                (close-port port)
+                #f)
+               (else
+                (close-port port)
+                (throw 'swh-error url method response))))))
 
 (define-syntax define-query
   (syntax-rules (path)
diff --git a/tests/swh.scm b/tests/swh.scm
index 9a0da07ae1..e36c54e5fb 100644
--- a/tests/swh.scm
+++ b/tests/swh.scm
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 (define-module (test-swh)
   #:use-module (guix swh)
   #:use-module (guix tests http)
+  #:use-module (web response)
   #:use-module (srfi srfi-64))
 
 ;; Test the JSON mapping machinery used in (guix swh).
@@ -68,6 +69,41 @@
                  (directory-entry-length entry)))
          (lookup-directory "123"))))
 
+(test-equal "rate limit reached"
+  3000000000
+  (let ((too-many (build-response
+                   #:code 429
+                   #:reason-phrase "Too many requests"
+
+                   ;; Pretend we've reached the limit and it'll be reset in
+                   ;; June 2065.
+                   #:headers '((x-ratelimit-remaining . "0")
+                               (x-ratelimit-reset . "3000000000")))))
+    (with-http-server `((,too-many "Too bad."))
+      (parameterize ((%swh-base-url (%local-url)))
+        (catch 'swh-error
+          (lambda ()
+            (lookup-origin "http://example.org/guix.git"))
+          (lambda (key url method response)
+            ;; Ensure the reset time was recorded.
+            (@@ (guix swh) %general-rate-limit-reset-time)))))))
+
+(test-assert "%allow-request? and request-rate-limit-reached?"
+  ;; Here we test two things: that the rate limit set above is in effect and
+  ;; that %ALLOW-REQUEST? is called, and that 'request-rate-limit-reached?'
+  ;; returns true.
+  (let* ((key (gensym "skip-request"))
+         (skip-if-limit-reached
+          (lambda (url method)
+            (or (not (request-rate-limit-reached? url method))
+                (throw key #t)))))
+    (parameterize ((%allow-request? skip-if-limit-reached))
+      (catch key
+        (lambda ()
+          (lookup-origin "http://example.org/guix.git")
+          #f)
+        (const #t)))))
+
 (test-end "swh")
 
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