diff --git a/runner/runner.go b/runner/runner.go
index ea0cac3f..4aa64db2 100644
--- a/runner/runner.go
+++ b/runner/runner.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ type Runner struct {
 	hm                 *hybrid.HybridMap
 	excludeCdn         bool
 	stats              clistats.StatisticsClient
-	ratelimiter        ratelimit.Limiter
+	ratelimiter        *ratelimit.Limiter
 	HostErrorsCache    gcache.Cache[string, int]
 	browser            *Browser
 	ditClassifier *dit.Classifier
@@ -416,11 +416,11 @@ func New(options *Options) (*Runner, error) {
 	runner.hm = hm
 
 	if options.RateLimitMinute > 0 {
-		runner.ratelimiter = *ratelimit.New(context.Background(), uint(options.RateLimitMinute), time.Minute)
+		runner.ratelimiter = ratelimit.New(context.Background(), uint(options.RateLimitMinute), time.Minute)
 	} else if options.RateLimit > 0 {
-		runner.ratelimiter = *ratelimit.New(context.Background(), uint(options.RateLimit), time.Second)
+		runner.ratelimiter = ratelimit.New(context.Background(), uint(options.RateLimit), time.Second)
 	} else {
-		runner.ratelimiter = *ratelimit.NewUnlimited(context.Background())
+		runner.ratelimiter = ratelimit.NewUnlimited(context.Background())
 	}
 
 	if options.HostMaxErrors >= 0 {
@@ -917,7 +917,9 @@ func (r *Runner) Close() {
 	// nolint:errcheck // ignore
 	r.hm.Close()
 	r.hp.Dialer.Close()
-	r.ratelimiter.Stop()
+	if r.ratelimiter != nil {
+		r.ratelimiter.Stop()
+	}
 
 	if r.options.HostMaxErrors >= 0 {
 		r.HostErrorsCache.Purge()
diff --git a/runner/runner_test.go b/runner/runner_test.go
index 3f9d5e55..940da70a 100644
--- a/runner/runner_test.go
+++ b/runner/runner_test.go
@@ -1166,3 +1166,32 @@ func TestHandshakeThenCloseKeepsPlainResult(t *testing.T) {
 	require.EqualValues(t, 1, atomic.LoadInt64(&tlsHandshakes),
 		"the failed HTTPS request must complete its TLS handshake first")
 }
+
+func TestRunner_RateLimiterInitialization(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("default unlimited rate limiter is non-nil pointer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r, err := New(&Options{})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer r.Close()
+
+		require.NotNil(t, r.ratelimiter)
+		r.ratelimiter.Take()
+	})
+
+	t.Run("per-second rate limiter is non-nil pointer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r, err := New(&Options{RateLimit: 50})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer r.Close()
+
+		require.NotNil(t, r.ratelimiter)
+		r.ratelimiter.Take()
+	})
+
+	t.Run("per-minute rate limiter is non-nil pointer", func(t *testing.T) {
+		r, err := New(&Options{RateLimitMinute: 60})
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		defer r.Close()
+
+		require.NotNil(t, r.ratelimiter)
+		r.ratelimiter.Take()
+	})
+}