diff --git a/apps/api/src/routes/localAuth.ts b/apps/api/src/routes/localAuth.ts
index f3b3663..5069c99 100644
--- a/apps/api/src/routes/localAuth.ts
+++ b/apps/api/src/routes/localAuth.ts
@@ -87,12 +87,21 @@ localAuthRouter.post('/local/login', zValidator('json', loginSchema, noEchoHook)
   const attempt = loginAttempts.get(ip);
 
   // 423: account locked (>= LOCKOUT_FAILURES total failures, admin must reset)
+  // Check lockedOut FIRST — lockout takes precedence over rate window.
   if (attempt?.lockedOut) {
     return c.json({ error: 'Account locked' }, 423);
   }
 
-  // 429: rate window — >= RATE_WINDOW_FAILURES failures within the cooldown window
+  // 429: rate window — >= RATE_WINDOW_FAILURES failures within the cooldown window.
+  // Increment the counter even on 429 so continued brute-force accumulates toward lockout.
   if (attempt && attempt.count >= RATE_WINDOW_FAILURES && Date.now() < attempt.lockedUntil) {
+    attempt.count += 1;
+    attempt.lockedUntil = Date.now() + RATE_WINDOW_SECS * 1000;
+    attempt.lockedOut = attempt.count >= LOCKOUT_FAILURES;
+    loginAttempts.set(ip, attempt);
+    if (attempt.lockedOut) {
+      return c.json({ error: 'Account locked' }, 423);
+    }
     return c.json({ error: 'Too many attempts' }, 429);
   }