diff --git a/src/Traits/HasRateLimits.php b/src/Traits/HasRateLimits.php
index eba3f7d..3dbcd9d 100644
--- a/src/Traits/HasRateLimits.php
+++ b/src/Traits/HasRateLimits.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 use Saloon\Enums\PipeOrder;
 use Saloon\Http\PendingRequest;
 use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Limit;
+use Saloon\Http\Faking\MockResponse;
 use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Helpers\LimitHelper;
 use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Contracts\RateLimitStore;
 use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Helpers\RetryAfterHelper;
@@ -47,6 +48,15 @@ public function bootHasRateLimits(PendingRequest $pendingRequest): void
         // the request from being processed.
 
         $pendingRequest->middleware()->onRequest(function (PendingRequest $pendingRequest): void {
+            // Skip the pre-request limit check for cache hits. Cache middleware registers
+            // with PipeOrder::FIRST, so hasFakeResponse() is already true here (null order).
+            // Plain FakeResponse = cache hit; MockResponse = mock client (should still check).
+            $fakeResponse = $pendingRequest->getFakeResponse();
+
+            if ($fakeResponse !== null && ! $fakeResponse instanceof MockResponse) {
+                return;
+            }
+
             $limit = $this->getExceededLimit();
 
             if ($limit instanceof Limit) {
@@ -55,6 +65,20 @@ public function bootHasRateLimits(PendingRequest $pendingRequest): void
         });
 
         $pendingRequest->middleware()->onResponse(function (Response $response): Response {
+            // Skip rate limit counting for cache hits — they never reach the API.
+            //
+            // We cannot use $response->isCached() here because the cache plugin registers
+            // setCached(true) via onResponse(PipeOrder::FIRST) during the request middleware
+            // phase, which places it *after* this handler in the pipeline (same PipeOrder,
+            // later insertion). So isCached() is always false at this point.
+            //
+            // Instead: cache hits produce a plain FakeResponse, while MockClient produces a
+            // MockResponse (extends FakeResponse) and sets isMocked() before the pipeline runs.
+            // Checking hasFakeResponse() && !isMocked() isolates cache hits only.
+            if ($response->getPendingRequest()->hasFakeResponse() && ! $response->isMocked()) {
+                return $response;
+            }
+
             $limitThatWasExceeded = null;
             $store = $this->rateLimitStore();
 
diff --git a/tests/Feature/CacheHitRateLimitTest.php b/tests/Feature/CacheHitRateLimitTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9767c24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/CacheHitRateLimitTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use Saloon\Enums\PipeOrder;
+use Saloon\Http\PendingRequest;
+use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Limit;
+use Saloon\Http\Faking\MockClient;
+use Saloon\Http\Faking\FakeResponse;
+use Saloon\Http\Faking\MockResponse;
+use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Stores\MemoryStore;
+use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Tests\Fixtures\Requests\UserRequest;
+use Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Tests\Fixtures\Connectors\TestConnector;
+
+// Simulate what saloonphp/cache-plugin does: a request middleware with PipeOrder::FIRST
+// returns a plain FakeResponse (not MockResponse). This mirrors CacheMiddleware exactly —
+// it short-circuits the HTTP call, sets hasFakeResponse() on PendingRequest, and
+// leaves isMocked() as false. DetermineMockResponse skips when hasFakeResponse() is already set.
+function withCacheMiddleware(TestConnector $connector): void
+{
+    $connector->middleware()->onRequest(
+        callable: function (PendingRequest $pendingRequest): FakeResponse {
+            return new FakeResponse(['cached' => true], 200);
+        },
+        order: PipeOrder::FIRST,
+    );
+}
+
+test('cache hits do not count against the rate limit', function () {
+    $store = new MemoryStore;
+
+    $connector = new TestConnector($store, [
+        Limit::allow(3)->everyMinute(),
+    ]);
+
+    withCacheMiddleware($connector);
+
+    // Send 10 requests — all served from "cache". Limit of 3 should never be reached.
+    for ($i = 0; $i < 10; $i++) {
+        $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    }
+
+    expect($connector->hasReachedRateLimit())->toBeFalse();
+});
+
+test('cache hits do not increment the hit counter in the store', function () {
+    $store = new MemoryStore;
+
+    $connector = new TestConnector($store, [
+        Limit::allow(3)->everyMinute(),
+    ]);
+
+    withCacheMiddleware($connector);
+
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+
+    // No real hits recorded — store stays empty
+    expect($store->getStore())->toBeEmpty();
+});
+
+test('real api responses still count against the rate limit', function () {
+    $store = new MemoryStore;
+
+    $connector = new TestConnector($store, [
+        Limit::allow(3)->everyMinute(),
+    ]);
+
+    $connector->withMockClient(new MockClient([
+        UserRequest::class => new MockResponse(['name' => 'Sam'], 200),
+    ]));
+
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+
+    expect($connector->hasReachedRateLimit())->toBeTrue();
+});
+
+test('cache hits do not throw when the rate limit is already exhausted by real requests', function () {
+    $store = new MemoryStore;
+
+    $connector = new TestConnector($store, [
+        Limit::allow(3)->everyMinute(),
+    ]);
+
+    // Exhaust the limit with 3 real (mock) requests
+    $connector->withMockClient(new MockClient([
+        UserRequest::class => new MockResponse(['name' => 'Sam'], 200),
+    ]));
+
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+
+    expect($connector->hasReachedRateLimit())->toBeTrue();
+
+    // Cache middleware must use PipeOrder::FIRST so it fires before the rate limit
+    // onRequest check — mirroring how the real cache plugin registers its middleware.
+    withCacheMiddleware($connector);
+
+    expect(fn () => $connector->send(new UserRequest))
+        ->not->toThrow(\Saloon\RateLimitPlugin\Exceptions\RateLimitReachedException::class);
+});
+
+test('only real requests count toward the limit when mixed with cache hits', function () {
+    $store = new MemoryStore;
+
+    // 1 real request via mock client
+    $connector = new TestConnector($store, [Limit::allow(3)->everyMinute()]);
+    $connector->withMockClient(new MockClient([
+        UserRequest::class => new MockResponse(['name' => 'Sam'], 200),
+    ]));
+    $connector->send(new UserRequest); // hits = 1
+
+    // 5 cache hits via same store — should not add to the count
+    withCacheMiddleware($connector);
+    for ($i = 0; $i < 5; $i++) {
+        $connector->send(new UserRequest);
+    }
+
+    // Only 1 real hit, limit of 3 not reached
+    expect($connector->hasReachedRateLimit())->toBeFalse();
+});