diff --git a/.github/issue-assistant/src/security.js b/.github/issue-assistant/src/security.js
index 917e8274..a4d3f9b9 100644
--- a/.github/issue-assistant/src/security.js
+++ b/.github/issue-assistant/src/security.js
@@ -183,6 +183,7 @@ async function validateRequest({
   context, 
   maxInputLength, 
   rateLimitPerHour,
+  maxBotResponses,
   customInjectionPatterns,
   customSuspiciousPatterns
 }) {
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ async function validateRequest({
     errors.push('Rate limit exceeded');
   }
   
-  if (comment) {
+  if (comment && maxBotResponses !== undefined) {
     const { data: comments } = await github.rest.issues.listComments({
       owner: context.repo.owner,
       repo: context.repo.repo,
@@ -237,7 +238,7 @@ async function validateRequest({
       c.body && c.body.includes('<!-- msdo-issue-assistant -->')
     );
     
-    if (botComments.length >= 3) {
+    if (botComments.length >= maxBotResponses) {
       errors.push('Maximum bot responses reached');
     }
   }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/issue-assistant.yml b/.github/workflows/issue-assistant.yml
index 0e2e6920..9a355f8b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/issue-assistant.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/issue-assistant.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ env:
   MAX_INPUT_LENGTH: 10000
   MAX_BOT_RESPONSES: 4
   MIN_RESPONSE_INTERVAL_SECONDS: 120
-  RATE_LIMIT_PER_USER_PER_HOUR: 10
+  RATE_LIMIT_PER_USER_PER_HOUR: 12
 
 jobs:
   validate-and-triage:
@@ -283,6 +283,7 @@ jobs:
               context,
               maxInputLength: parseInt(process.env.MAX_INPUT_LENGTH),
               rateLimitPerHour: parseInt(process.env.RATE_LIMIT_PER_USER_PER_HOUR),
+              maxBotResponses: parseInt(process.env.MAX_BOT_RESPONSES),
               customInjectionPatterns: injectionPatterns
             });