diff --git a/lib/services/leantime-service.ts b/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
index f65bb48c..e0458596 100644
--- a/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
@@ -94,9 +94,40 @@ export class LeantimeService {
           await this.setProjectAvatar(projectId, mission.logo);
         }
 
-        // Assign users to the project
-        if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
-          await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+        try {
+          // Wait a bit before attempting to add any users to avoid rate limits
+          await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 3000));
+          // Check if we can make at least one API call without hitting rate limits
+          const testResponse = await axios.post(
+            this.getApiEndpoint(),
+            {
+              method: 'leantime.rpc.Auth.getCurrentUser',
+              jsonrpc: '2.0',
+              id: 1
+            },
+            {
+              headers: {
+                'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+                'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+              }
+            }
+          );
+          
+          // If test API call succeeds, try to assign users
+          if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
+            await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+          }
+        } catch (apiError) {
+          // If we hit rate limits on the test call, skip user assignment completely
+          if (axios.isAxiosError(apiError) && apiError.response?.status === 429) {
+            console.log('⚠️ Rate limiting detected. Skipping all user assignments.');
+            console.log(`⚠️ Users will need to be added manually at: ${this.getProjectUrl(projectId)}`);
+          } else {
+            // Try to assign users anyway for other types of errors
+            if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
+              await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+            }
+          }
         }
 
         return projectId;
@@ -152,9 +183,40 @@ export class LeantimeService {
         await this.setProjectAvatar(projectId, mission.logo);
       }
 
-      // Assign users to the project
-      if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
-        await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+      try {
+        // Wait a bit before attempting to add any users to avoid rate limits
+        await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 3000));
+        // Check if we can make at least one API call without hitting rate limits
+        const testResponse = await axios.post(
+          this.getApiEndpoint(),
+          {
+            method: 'leantime.rpc.Auth.getCurrentUser',
+            jsonrpc: '2.0',
+            id: 1
+          },
+          {
+            headers: {
+              'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+              'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+            }
+          }
+        );
+        
+        // If test API call succeeds, try to assign users
+        if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
+          await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+        }
+      } catch (apiError) {
+        // If we hit rate limits on the test call, skip user assignment completely
+        if (axios.isAxiosError(apiError) && apiError.response?.status === 429) {
+          console.log('⚠️ Rate limiting detected. Skipping all user assignments.');
+          console.log(`⚠️ Users will need to be added manually at: ${this.getProjectUrl(projectId)}`);
+        } else {
+          // Try to assign users anyway for other types of errors
+          if (mission.missionUsers && mission.missionUsers.length > 0) {
+            await this.assignUsersToProject(projectId, mission.missionUsers);
+          }
+        }
       }
 
       return projectId;
@@ -1045,4 +1107,17 @@ export class LeantimeService {
       return false;
     }
   }
+
+  /**
+   * Helper method to get the project URL
+   */
+  private getProjectUrl(projectId: number): string {
+    const baseUrl = this.apiUrl
+      .replace('/api/jsonrpc', '')
+      .replace('/api/jsonrpc.php', '');
+    
+    return baseUrl.endsWith('/') 
+      ? `${baseUrl}projects/showProject/${projectId}` 
+      : `${baseUrl}/projects/showProject/${projectId}`;
+  }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file