diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 29742b9..faec4b0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The format follows [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/). Thi
 
 - `openmail inbox create` and `openmail init` accept `--domain <domain>` to create an inbox on a verified custom domain you own. When omitted, the inbox uses your account default domain.
 - `openmail usage` — per-inbox usage (inbound/outbound counts, attachment bytes, stored bytes) plus account totals, with `--from`, `--to`, and `--group-by inbox|account` flags.
+- `ApiError` now surfaces rate-limit info (`X-RateLimit-Limit/Remaining/Reset`, `Retry-After`) via a `rateLimit` field, and 429s print a "retry after Ns" hint.
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index 0920899..938e5c0 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -227,7 +227,15 @@ main().catch((err: unknown) => {
   const parsed = parseArgs(process.argv.slice(2));
   const ctx = ctxFromConfig(resolveGlobalConfig(parsed));
   if (err instanceof ApiError) {
-    logError(ctx, err.message, { status: err.status, body: err.body });
+    const payload: Record<string, unknown> = { status: err.status, body: err.body };
+    if (err.rateLimit) {
+      payload.rateLimit = err.rateLimit;
+    }
+    let message = err.message;
+    if (err.status === 429 && err.rateLimit?.retryAfter !== undefined) {
+      message = `${err.message} — rate limited, retry after ${err.rateLimit.retryAfter}s`;
+    }
+    logError(ctx, message, payload);
     process.exitCode = 1;
     return;
   }
diff --git a/src/lib/__tests__/http.test.ts b/src/lib/__tests__/http.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..770fb6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/__tests__/http.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { ApiError, OpenMailHttpClient } from "../http";
+
+const client = new OpenMailHttpClient({
+  baseUrl: "https://api.test",
+  apiKey: "key",
+});
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  vi.unstubAllGlobals();
+});
+
+describe("OpenMailHttpClient error handling", () => {
+  it("attaches rate-limit info from headers on a 429", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      "fetch",
+      vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+        new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: "rate_limit_exceeded", scope: "burst" }), {
+          status: 429,
+          headers: {
+            "content-type": "application/json",
+            "retry-after": "42",
+            "x-ratelimit-limit": "10",
+            "x-ratelimit-remaining": "0",
+            "x-ratelimit-reset": "1780000000",
+          },
+        }),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    const err = await client.get("/v1/inboxes").catch((e) => e);
+    expect(err).toBeInstanceOf(ApiError);
+    expect(err.status).toBe(429);
+    expect(err.rateLimit).toEqual({
+      limit: 10,
+      remaining: 0,
+      reset: 1780000000,
+      retryAfter: 42,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("leaves rateLimit undefined when no rate-limit headers are present", async () => {
+    vi.stubGlobal(
+      "fetch",
+      vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(
+        new Response(JSON.stringify({ error: "not_found" }), {
+          status: 404,
+          headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+        }),
+      ),
+    );
+
+    const err = await client.get("/v1/inboxes/x").catch((e) => e);
+    expect(err).toBeInstanceOf(ApiError);
+    expect(err.rateLimit).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/http.ts b/src/lib/http.ts
index 5868b0c..8fedd70 100644
--- a/src/lib/http.ts
+++ b/src/lib/http.ts
@@ -5,17 +5,43 @@ export type HttpClientConfig = {
   apiKey: string;
 };
 
+export type RateLimitInfo = {
+  limit?: number;
+  remaining?: number;
+  reset?: number;
+  retryAfter?: number;
+};
+
 export class ApiError extends Error {
   status: number;
   body: unknown;
+  rateLimit?: RateLimitInfo;
 
-  constructor(message: string, status: number, body: unknown) {
+  constructor(message: string, status: number, body: unknown, rateLimit?: RateLimitInfo) {
     super(message);
     this.status = status;
     this.body = body;
+    this.rateLimit = rateLimit;
   }
 }
 
+function parseHeaderInt(value: string | null): number | undefined {
+  if (value === null) return undefined;
+  const n = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
+  return Number.isFinite(n) ? n : undefined;
+}
+
+function extractRateLimit(headers: Headers): RateLimitInfo | undefined {
+  const info: RateLimitInfo = {
+    limit: parseHeaderInt(headers.get("x-ratelimit-limit")),
+    remaining: parseHeaderInt(headers.get("x-ratelimit-remaining")),
+    reset: parseHeaderInt(headers.get("x-ratelimit-reset")),
+    retryAfter: parseHeaderInt(headers.get("retry-after")),
+  };
+  const hasAny = Object.values(info).some((v) => v !== undefined);
+  return hasAny ? info : undefined;
+}
+
 export class OpenMailHttpClient {
   private readonly baseUrl: string;
   private readonly apiKey: string;
@@ -131,6 +157,7 @@ export class OpenMailHttpClient {
         `OpenMail API error (${response.status})`,
         response.status,
         parsedBody ?? text,
+        extractRateLimit(response.headers),
       );
     }
     return parsedBody ?? text;