diff --git a/messages/de.json b/messages/de.json
index 7ed96899a..d53149d8a 100644
--- a/messages/de.json
+++ b/messages/de.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Übernehmen",
       "submitting": "Wird übernommen…",
       "errorTaken": "Dieser Benutzername oder diese E-Mail-Adresse ist schon vergeben.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Zu viele Versuche. Warte ein paar Minuten und versuche es erneut.",
       "errorFailed": "Das hat nicht geklappt. Versuche es gleich noch einmal.",
       "errorOffline": "Das hat den Server nicht erreicht. Prüfe deine Verbindung und versuche es erneut.",
       "ssoContinue": "Weiter mit {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Zur Anmeldung"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Dieses Konto wird am {date} gelöscht und ist bis dahin gesperrt. Ein Admin dieses Servers kann die Löschung vor diesem Datum rückgängig machen.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Dieses Konto ist zur Löschung vorgemerkt und gesperrt. Ein Admin dieses Servers kann die Löschung rückgängig machen, bis sie abgeschlossen ist."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Dieses Konto ist zur Löschung vorgemerkt und gesperrt. Ein Admin dieses Servers kann die Löschung rückgängig machen, bis sie abgeschlossen ist.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Zu viele Versuche. Warte ein paar Minuten und versuche es erneut."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Dashboard",
diff --git a/messages/en.json b/messages/en.json
index 6c67dc6c5..62b3b54d1 100644
--- a/messages/en.json
+++ b/messages/en.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Take over",
       "submitting": "Taking over…",
       "errorTaken": "That username or email address is already in use.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Too many attempts. Wait a few minutes and try again.",
       "errorFailed": "That did not work. Try again in a moment.",
       "errorOffline": "That did not reach the server. Check your connection and try again.",
       "ssoContinue": "Continue with {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Go to sign in"
     },
     "deletionPending": "This account is scheduled for deletion on {date} and is locked until then. An admin of this server can undo the deletion before that date.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "This account is scheduled for deletion and is locked. An admin of this server can undo the deletion until it completes."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "This account is scheduled for deletion and is locked. An admin of this server can undo the deletion until it completes.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Too many attempts. Wait a few minutes and try again."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Dashboard",
diff --git a/messages/es.json b/messages/es.json
index 02a1df1e7..cf7d035f6 100644
--- a/messages/es.json
+++ b/messages/es.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Asumir",
       "submitting": "Asumiendo…",
       "errorTaken": "Ese nombre de usuario o correo electrónico ya está en uso.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Demasiados intentos. Espera unos minutos y vuelve a intentarlo.",
       "errorFailed": "No ha funcionado. Vuelve a intentarlo en un momento.",
       "errorOffline": "No se llegó al servidor. Comprueba tu conexión y vuelve a intentarlo.",
       "ssoContinue": "Continuar con {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Ir a iniciar sesión"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Esta cuenta se eliminará el {date} y está bloqueada hasta entonces. Un administrador de este servidor puede deshacer la eliminación antes de esa fecha.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Esta cuenta está programada para eliminarse y está bloqueada. Un administrador de este servidor puede deshacer la eliminación hasta que se complete."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Esta cuenta está programada para eliminarse y está bloqueada. Un administrador de este servidor puede deshacer la eliminación hasta que se complete.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Demasiados intentos. Espera unos minutos y vuelve a intentarlo."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Panel",
diff --git a/messages/fr.json b/messages/fr.json
index 0577bd9f1..5d0a91f0a 100644
--- a/messages/fr.json
+++ b/messages/fr.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Reprendre",
       "submitting": "Reprise en cours…",
       "errorTaken": "Ce nom d'utilisateur ou cette adresse e-mail est déjà utilisé.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Trop de tentatives. Attendez quelques minutes puis réessayez.",
       "errorFailed": "Cela n'a pas fonctionné. Réessayez dans un instant.",
       "errorOffline": "Le serveur n'a pas été atteint. Vérifiez votre connexion et réessayez.",
       "ssoContinue": "Continuer avec {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Aller à la connexion"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Ce compte sera supprimé le {date} et reste verrouillé d’ici là. Un administrateur de ce serveur peut annuler la suppression avant cette date.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Ce compte est programmé pour suppression et il est verrouillé. Un administrateur de ce serveur peut annuler la suppression tant qu’elle n’est pas terminée."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Ce compte est programmé pour suppression et il est verrouillé. Un administrateur de ce serveur peut annuler la suppression tant qu’elle n’est pas terminée.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Trop de tentatives. Attendez quelques minutes puis réessayez."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Tableau de bord",
diff --git a/messages/it.json b/messages/it.json
index a2791af23..c2f16d754 100644
--- a/messages/it.json
+++ b/messages/it.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Prendi in carico",
       "submitting": "Presa in carico…",
       "errorTaken": "Questo nome utente o indirizzo email è già in uso.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Troppi tentativi. Attendi qualche minuto e riprova.",
       "errorFailed": "Non ha funzionato. Riprova tra un momento.",
       "errorOffline": "Il server non è stato raggiunto. Controlla la connessione e riprova.",
       "ssoContinue": "Continua con {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Vai all’accesso"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Questo account verrà eliminato il {date} ed è bloccato fino ad allora. Un amministratore di questo server può annullare l’eliminazione prima di quella data.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Questo account è in attesa di eliminazione ed è bloccato. Un amministratore di questo server può annullare l’eliminazione finché non è completata."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Questo account è in attesa di eliminazione ed è bloccato. Un amministratore di questo server può annullare l’eliminazione finché non è completata.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Troppi tentativi. Attendi qualche minuto e riprova."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Cruscotto",
diff --git a/messages/ko.json b/messages/ko.json
index 6fa577571..e89c585c2 100644
--- a/messages/ko.json
+++ b/messages/ko.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "넘겨받기",
       "submitting": "넘겨받는 중…",
       "errorTaken": "이미 사용 중인 사용자 이름 또는 이메일 주소입니다.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "시도 횟수가 너무 많습니다. 몇 분 후 다시 시도하세요.",
       "errorFailed": "처리하지 못했습니다. 잠시 후 다시 시도하세요.",
       "errorOffline": "서버에 연결하지 못했습니다. 연결을 확인하고 다시 시도하세요.",
       "ssoContinue": "{provider}(으)로 계속",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "로그인으로 이동"
     },
     "deletionPending": "이 계정은 {date}에 삭제될 예정이며 그때까지 잠겨 있어요. 그 전에는 이 서버의 관리자가 삭제를 취소할 수 있어요.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "이 계정은 삭제 예정이라 잠겨 있어요. 삭제가 끝나기 전까지는 이 서버의 관리자가 취소할 수 있어요."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "이 계정은 삭제 예정이라 잠겨 있어요. 삭제가 끝나기 전까지는 이 서버의 관리자가 취소할 수 있어요.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "시도 횟수가 너무 많아요. 몇 분 후 다시 시도해 주세요."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "대시보드",
diff --git a/messages/nl.json b/messages/nl.json
index 8d7ee8224..742d09797 100644
--- a/messages/nl.json
+++ b/messages/nl.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Overnemen",
       "submitting": "Overnemen…",
       "errorTaken": "Die gebruikersnaam of dat e-mailadres is al in gebruik.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Te veel pogingen. Wacht een paar minuten en probeer het opnieuw.",
       "errorFailed": "Dat is niet gelukt. Probeer het zo opnieuw.",
       "errorOffline": "De server is niet bereikt. Controleer je verbinding en probeer het opnieuw.",
       "ssoContinue": "Doorgaan met {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Naar inloggen"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Dit account wordt op {date} verwijderd en is tot dan vergrendeld. Een beheerder van deze server kan de verwijdering vóór die datum ongedaan maken.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Dit account staat gepland voor verwijdering en is vergrendeld. Een beheerder van deze server kan de verwijdering ongedaan maken tot die voltooid is."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Dit account staat gepland voor verwijdering en is vergrendeld. Een beheerder van deze server kan de verwijdering ongedaan maken tot die voltooid is.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Te veel pogingen. Wacht een paar minuten en probeer het opnieuw."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Dashboard",
diff --git a/messages/pl.json b/messages/pl.json
index 0ca051a4d..e76aaabaf 100644
--- a/messages/pl.json
+++ b/messages/pl.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Przejmij",
       "submitting": "Przejmowanie…",
       "errorTaken": "Ta nazwa użytkownika lub adres e-mail jest już zajęty.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Zbyt wiele prób. Odczekaj kilka minut i spróbuj ponownie.",
       "errorFailed": "Nie udało się. Spróbuj ponownie za chwilę.",
       "errorOffline": "Nie udało się połączyć z serwerem. Sprawdź połączenie i spróbuj ponownie.",
       "ssoContinue": "Kontynuuj przez {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Przejdź do logowania"
     },
     "deletionPending": "To konto zostanie usunięte {date} i do tego czasu jest zablokowane. Administrator tego serwera może cofnąć usunięcie przed tą datą.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "To konto czeka na usunięcie i jest zablokowane. Administrator tego serwera może cofnąć usunięcie, dopóki się nie zakończy."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "To konto czeka na usunięcie i jest zablokowane. Administrator tego serwera może cofnąć usunięcie, dopóki się nie zakończy.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Zbyt wiele prób. Odczekaj kilka minut i spróbuj ponownie."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Pulpit",
diff --git a/messages/pt-BR.json b/messages/pt-BR.json
index d546d0448..f34cf7977 100644
--- a/messages/pt-BR.json
+++ b/messages/pt-BR.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Assumir",
       "submitting": "Assumindo…",
       "errorTaken": "Esse nome de usuário ou e-mail já está em uso.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Muitas tentativas. Aguarde alguns minutos e tente novamente.",
       "errorFailed": "Isso não funcionou. Tente novamente em instantes.",
       "errorOffline": "Não foi possível alcançar o servidor. Verifique sua conexão e tente novamente.",
       "ssoContinue": "Continuar com {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Ir para o login"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Esta conta será excluída em {date} e está bloqueada até lá. Um administrador deste servidor pode desfazer a exclusão antes dessa data.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Esta conta está programada para exclusão e está bloqueada. Um administrador deste servidor pode desfazer a exclusão até que ela seja concluída."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Esta conta está programada para exclusão e está bloqueada. Um administrador deste servidor pode desfazer a exclusão até que ela seja concluída.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Muitas tentativas. Aguarde alguns minutos e tente novamente."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Painel",
diff --git a/messages/ru.json b/messages/ru.json
index f4ad47846..e18b00a52 100644
--- a/messages/ru.json
+++ b/messages/ru.json
@@ -669,7 +669,6 @@
       "submit": "Принять",
       "submitting": "Принимаем…",
       "errorTaken": "Это имя пользователя или адрес электронной почты уже используется.",
-      "errorRateLimit": "Слишком много попыток. Подождите несколько минут и попробуйте снова.",
       "errorFailed": "Не сработало. Попробуйте через минуту.",
       "errorOffline": "Не дошло до сервера. Проверьте подключение и попробуйте снова.",
       "ssoContinue": "Продолжить с {provider}",
@@ -691,7 +690,8 @@
       "toLogin": "Перейти ко входу"
     },
     "deletionPending": "Этот аккаунт запланирован к удалению на {date} и заблокирован до тех пор. Администратор этого сервера может отменить удаление до этой даты.",
-    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Этот аккаунт запланирован к удалению и заблокирован. Администратор этого сервера может отменить удаление до его завершения."
+    "deletionPendingNoDate": "Этот аккаунт запланирован к удалению и заблокирован. Администратор этого сервера может отменить удаление до его завершения.",
+    "signInRateLimited": "Слишком много попыток. Подождите несколько минут и попробуйте снова."
   },
   "dashboard": {
     "title": "Сводка",
diff --git a/src/app/auth/login/page.tsx b/src/app/auth/login/page.tsx
index e07989fdc..bcc84657b 100644
--- a/src/app/auth/login/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/auth/login/page.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import { isDashboardSnapshotEnabled } from "@/lib/dashboard/snapshot-flag";
 import { prefetchDashboardSnapshot } from "@/lib/queries/use-dashboard-snapshot";
 import { clearOfflineCachesForSessionEnd } from "@/lib/pwa/query-persister";
 import { sanitizeSameOriginPath } from "@/lib/url-safety";
-import { localizedApiError } from "@/lib/api/localized-error";
+import { localizedSignInError } from "@/lib/api/localized-error";
 import { formatDate } from "@/lib/format";
 import {
   InsecureTransportBanner,
@@ -263,10 +263,10 @@ export default function LoginPage() {
       navigateAfterLogin();
     } catch (err) {
       if (noteRefusal(err)) return;
-      // Route rejections carry the envelope error verbatim; everything
-      // else (WebAuthn ceremony failures) keeps the descriptive mapping.
+      // A route's refusal is named by its code; a WebAuthn ceremony failure
+      // keeps the descriptive mapping.
       if (err instanceof ApiError) {
-        setError(localizedApiError(err, t, "auth.loginFailed"));
+        setError(localizedSignInError(err, t, "auth.loginFailed"));
       } else {
         const { key, params } = describePasskeyError(err);
         setError(t(key, params));
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export default function LoginPage() {
       navigateAfterLogin();
     } catch (err) {
       if (noteRefusal(err)) return;
-      setError(localizedApiError(err, t, "auth.loginFailed"));
+      setError(localizedSignInError(err, t, "auth.loginFailed"));
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
     }
diff --git a/src/components/auth/claim-profile.tsx b/src/components/auth/claim-profile.tsx
index 0a3b60c9e..540fa04ea 100644
--- a/src/components/auth/claim-profile.tsx
+++ b/src/components/auth/claim-profile.tsx
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ export function ClaimProfile({
           title={t("auth.claim.title")}
           description={t(
             previewStatus === 429
-              ? "auth.claim.errorRateLimit"
+              ? "auth.signInRateLimited"
               : "auth.claim.errorFailed",
           )}
         />
@@ -548,6 +548,6 @@ export function claimErrorKey(err: unknown): string {
       : "auth.claim.errorTaken";
   }
   if (err.status === 403) return "auth.claim.oidcOnly";
-  if (err.status === 429) return "auth.claim.errorRateLimit";
+  if (err.status === 429) return "auth.signInRateLimited";
   return "auth.claim.errorFailed";
 }
diff --git a/src/components/auth/mfa-login-step.tsx b/src/components/auth/mfa-login-step.tsx
index bbaa82bb8..ef63de07b 100644
--- a/src/components/auth/mfa-login-step.tsx
+++ b/src/components/auth/mfa-login-step.tsx
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { Input } from "@/components/ui/input";
 import { Label } from "@/components/ui/label";
 import { useTranslations } from "@/lib/i18n/context";
 import { ApiError, apiPost } from "@/lib/api/api-fetch";
-import { localizedApiError } from "@/lib/api/localized-error";
+import { localizedSignInError } from "@/lib/api/localized-error";
 import { currentClientTransport } from "@/lib/auth/client-transport";
 
 /** The server's refusal for a page whose sign-in cookie cannot stick. */
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ export function MfaLoginStep({
         err instanceof ApiError &&
           err.meta?.errorCode === INSECURE_TRANSPORT_CODE
           ? t("auth.insecureTransport.title")
-          : localizedApiError(err, t, "auth.mfa.verifyFailed"),
+          : localizedSignInError(err, t, "auth.mfa.verifyFailed"),
       );
     } finally {
       setLoading(false);
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ export function MfaLoginStep({
       onSuccess();
     } catch (err) {
       if (err instanceof ApiError) {
-        setError(localizedApiError(err, t, "auth.mfa.verifyFailed"));
+        setError(localizedSignInError(err, t, "auth.mfa.verifyFailed"));
       } else {
         const { key, params } = describePasskeyError(err);
         setError(t(key, params));
diff --git a/src/components/settings/access/__tests__/managed-profile-handover-errors.test.ts b/src/components/settings/access/__tests__/managed-profile-handover-errors.test.ts
index b4e4b479a..3fa89e080 100644
--- a/src/components/settings/access/__tests__/managed-profile-handover-errors.test.ts
+++ b/src/components/settings/access/__tests__/managed-profile-handover-errors.test.ts
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ describe("claimErrorKey", () => {
       "auth.claim.signedInTitle",
     ],
     [new ApiError("x", 403, {}), "auth.claim.oidcOnly"],
-    [new ApiError("x", 429, {}), "auth.claim.errorRateLimit"],
+    [new ApiError("x", 429, {}), "auth.signInRateLimited"],
     [new ApiError("x", 500, {}), "auth.claim.errorFailed"],
     [new Error("offline"), "auth.claim.errorOffline"],
   ])("maps %o", (err, key) => {
diff --git a/src/lib/api/__tests__/localized-error.test.ts b/src/lib/api/__tests__/localized-error.test.ts
index 3be2a4630..650bfe552 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/__tests__/localized-error.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/__tests__/localized-error.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 import { ApiError } from "../api-fetch";
-import { localizedApiError } from "../localized-error";
+import { localizedApiError, localizedSignInError } from "../localized-error";
 import de from "../../../../messages/de.json";
 import en from "../../../../messages/en.json";
 import es from "../../../../messages/es.json";
@@ -234,3 +234,46 @@ describe("localizedApiError", () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe("localizedSignInError", () => {
+  const enT = translator(en as Catalog);
+
+  it("reads a wrong password or code as the step's failure, not an ended session", () => {
+    const error = new ApiError("Invalid credentials", 401, {
+      errorCode: "http.unauthenticated",
+    });
+    expect(localizedSignInError(error, enT, "auth.loginFailed")).toBe(
+      "Login failed",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it.each([
+    ["de", de],
+    ["en", en],
+    ["es", es],
+    ["fr", fr],
+    ["it", itCatalog],
+    ["ko", ko],
+    ["nl", nl],
+    ["pl", pl],
+    ["pt-BR", ptBR],
+    ["ru", ru],
+  ])("reads a lockout as one in %s", (_, locale) => {
+    const localT = translator(locale as Catalog);
+    const error = new ApiError("Too many login attempts", 429, {
+      errorCode: "http.rate_limited",
+    });
+    const sentence = localizedSignInError(error, localT, "auth.loginFailed");
+    expect(sentence).toBe(localT("auth.signInRateLimited"));
+    expect(sentence).not.toBe("auth.signInRateLimited");
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the sentence of a code the step names itself", () => {
+    const error = new ApiError("raw English server prose", 401, {
+      errorCode: "auth.reproof.failed",
+    });
+    expect(localizedSignInError(error, enT, "auth.loginFailed")).toMatch(
+      /did not verify/,
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/api/localized-error.ts b/src/lib/api/localized-error.ts
index ee102ad73..7e1b85403 100644
--- a/src/lib/api/localized-error.ts
+++ b/src/lib/api/localized-error.ts
@@ -24,3 +24,23 @@ export function localizedApiError(
       : defaultErrorCodeForStatus(error.status);
   return translateCode(t, "apiErrors", errorCode, fallbackKey);
 }
+
+/**
+ * A refused sign-in step (password, second factor, passkey). These refusals
+ * mostly carry only their status's generic code, and here a 401 means a
+ * wrong password or code, not an ended session, and a 429 a lockout of
+ * several minutes. A code of the step's own keeps its sentence.
+ */
+export function localizedSignInError(
+  error: unknown,
+  t: Translate,
+  fallbackKey: string,
+): string {
+  if (error instanceof ApiError) {
+    const code = error.meta?.errorCode;
+    const generic = typeof code !== "string" || code.startsWith("http.");
+    if (generic && error.status === 429) return t("auth.signInRateLimited");
+    if (generic && error.status === 401) return t(fallbackKey);
+  }
+  return localizedApiError(error, t, fallbackKey);
+}