diff --git a/pkg/cloudprovider/gce/token_source.go b/pkg/cloudprovider/gce/token_source.go
index ac41ba5e832..440cf3e81be 100644
--- a/pkg/cloudprovider/gce/token_source.go
+++ b/pkg/cloudprovider/gce/token_source.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ import (
 
 const (
 	// Max QPS to allow through to the token URL.
-	tokenURLQPS = 1
+	tokenURLQPS = .05 // back off to once every 20 seconds when failing
 	// Maximum burst of requests to token URL before limiting.
 	tokenURLBurst = 3
 )