diff --git a/apps/api/src/middleware/rate-limit.ts b/apps/api/src/middleware/rate-limit.ts
index fd98f0e..48518b5 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/middleware/rate-limit.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/middleware/rate-limit.ts
@@ -261,11 +261,11 @@ export const webhookRotationLimiter = rateLimit({
 });
 
 /**
- * Waitlist signup: 5 req / 15 min per IP.
+ * Waitlist signup: 5 req / hour per IP.
  * Public endpoint — keyed by IP to prevent bulk scraping.
  */
 export const waitlistLimiter = rateLimit({
-  windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000,
+  windowMs: 60 * 60 * 1000,
   max: 5,
   standardHeaders: "draft-7",
   legacyHeaders: false,
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.test.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.test.ts
index 7daea97..6350d40 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.test.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.test.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,14 @@ import { errorHandler } from "../middleware/error";
 
 const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   dbQuery: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue({ rows: [] }),
+  blockWaitlist: false,
+  waitlistLimiter: vi.fn((_: any, res: any, next: any) => {
+    if (mocks.blockWaitlist) {
+      res.status(429).json({ error: "Too many signup attempts, please try again later" });
+      return;
+    }
+    next();
+  }),
 }));
 
 vi.mock("../db/index", () => ({
@@ -14,7 +22,7 @@ vi.mock("../db/index", () => ({
 
 vi.mock("../middleware/rate-limit", () => ({
   apiLimiter: (_req: any, _res: any, next: any) => next(),
-  waitlistLimiter: (_req: any, _res: any, next: any) => next(),
+  waitlistLimiter: mocks.waitlistLimiter,
 }));
 
 import waitlistRouter from "./waitlist";
@@ -27,76 +35,82 @@ app.use(errorHandler);
 describe("POST /waitlist", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     vi.clearAllMocks();
+    mocks.blockWaitlist = false;
   });
 
-  it("returns 200 on successful signup", async () => {
-    mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] });
+  it("returns 201 on successful signup", async () => {
+    mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [{ id: "waitlist-1" }] });
 
-    const res = await request(app)
-      .post("/waitlist")
-      .send({ email: "test@example.com" });
+    const res = await request(app).post("/waitlist").send({ email: " TEST@example.com " });
 
-    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
-    expect(res.body).toEqual({ success: true });
-    expect(mocks.dbQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-      expect.stringContaining("ON CONFLICT (email) DO NOTHING"),
-      ["test@example.com", null]
-    );
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
+    expect(res.body).toEqual({ message: "You're on the list!" });
+    expect(mocks.dbQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.stringContaining("RETURNING id"), [
+      "test@example.com",
+      null,
+    ]);
   });
 
-  it("returns 200 even for a duplicate email (idempotent)", async () => {
-    // ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING means the INSERT is a no-op; same 200 response
+  it("returns 200 even for a duplicate email", async () => {
     mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] });
 
-    const res = await request(app)
-      .post("/waitlist")
-      .send({ email: "duplicate@example.com" });
+    const res = await request(app).post("/waitlist").send({ email: "duplicate@example.com" });
 
     expect(res.status).toBe(200);
-    expect(res.body).toEqual({ success: true });
+    expect(res.body).toEqual({ message: "You're on the list!" });
   });
 
   it("accepts optional referral_code", async () => {
-    mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [] });
+    mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [{ id: "waitlist-1" }] });
 
     const res = await request(app)
       .post("/waitlist")
       .send({ email: "ref@example.com", referral_code: "FRIENDS10" });
 
-    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(201);
     expect(mocks.dbQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
       expect.stringContaining("ON CONFLICT (email) DO NOTHING"),
       ["ref@example.com", "FRIENDS10"]
     );
   });
 
-  it("returns 400 for an invalid email", async () => {
+  it("returns 422 for an invalid email", async () => {
+    const res = await request(app).post("/waitlist").send({ email: "not-an-email" });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(422);
+    expect(mocks.dbQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("returns 422 for an email longer than 254 characters", async () => {
     const res = await request(app)
       .post("/waitlist")
-      .send({ email: "not-an-email" });
+      .send({ email: `${"a".repeat(245)}@example.com` });
 
-    expect(res.status).toBe(400);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(422);
+    expect(mocks.dbQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("applies the waitlist rate limiter", async () => {
+    mocks.dbQuery.mockResolvedValueOnce({ rows: [{ id: "waitlist-1" }] });
+
+    await request(app)
+      .post("/waitlist")
+      .set("X-Forwarded-For", "10.0.0.1")
+      .send({ email: "rate@example.com" });
+
+    expect(mocks.waitlistLimiter).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("returns 429 when rate limited", async () => {
-    // Re-create app with a blocking limiter
-    const blockedApp = express();
-    blockedApp.use(express.json());
-
-    vi.doMock("../middleware/rate-limit", () => ({
-      apiLimiter: (_req: any, _res: any, next: any) => next(),
-      waitlistLimiter: (_req: any, res: any) =>
-        res.status(429).json({ error: "Too many signup attempts, please try again later" }),
-    }));
-
-    // The static import won't pick up doMock at runtime in this test; verify via static limiter
-    // The integration is covered by the middleware unit — this confirms the shape:
-    const rateLimitRes = await request(app)
+    mocks.blockWaitlist = true;
+
+    const res = await request(app)
       .post("/waitlist")
-      .set("X-Forwarded-For", "10.0.0.1") // ensure IP is set
+      .set("X-Forwarded-For", "10.0.0.1")
       .send({ email: "rate@example.com" });
 
-    // With the mocked pass-through limiter this should be 200; 429 shape is verified above
-    expect([200, 429]).toContain(rateLimitRes.status);
+    expect(res.status).toBe(429);
+    expect(res.body).toEqual({ error: "Too many signup attempts, please try again later" });
+    expect(mocks.dbQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 });
diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.ts
index 23aeee3..8c804a7 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/waitlist.ts
@@ -7,23 +7,29 @@ import { apiLimiter, waitlistLimiter } from "../middleware/rate-limit";
 const router = Router();
 
 const WaitlistSchema = z.object({
-  email: z.string().email(),
+  email: z.string().trim().email().max(254),
   referral_code: z.string().max(64).optional(),
 });
 
 router.post("/", waitlistLimiter, async (req, res) => {
-  const body = WaitlistSchema.parse(req.body);
+  const parsed = WaitlistSchema.safeParse(req.body);
+  if (!parsed.success) {
+    res.status(422).json({ error: "Validation Error", details: parsed.error.issues });
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const body = parsed.data;
   const email = body.email.toLowerCase().trim();
 
-  await query(
+  const result = await query<{ id: string }>(
     `INSERT INTO waitlist (email, referral_code)
      VALUES ($1, $2)
-     ON CONFLICT (email) DO NOTHING`,
+     ON CONFLICT (email) DO NOTHING
+     RETURNING id`,
     [email, body.referral_code ?? null]
   );
 
-  // Always return 200 to prevent email enumeration.
-  res.json({ success: true });
+  res.status(result.rows.length > 0 ? 201 : 200).json({ message: "You're on the list!" });
 });
 
 router.get("/position/:email", apiLimiter, async (req, res) => {