diff --git a/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go b/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
index 08f5cb0c39..d1b1949b00 100644
--- a/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
+++ b/api/v1alpha1/ratelimit_types.go
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ type LocalRateLimit struct {
 	//
 	// +optional
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:MaxItems=16
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.all(r, r.limit.requests > 0)", message="requests must be greater than 0 for local rate limits"
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.all(r, !has(r.cost) || !has(r.cost.response))", message="response cost is not supported for Local Rate Limits"
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:XValidation:rule="self.all(r, !has(r.limit.fromMetadata))", message="limit fromMetadata is not supported for Local Rate Limits"
 	Rules []RateLimitRule `json:"rules"`
@@ -436,7 +437,7 @@ type RateLimitValue struct {
 	// Requests is the number of requests (or cost units, when used with
 	// cost-based rate limiting) allowed per Unit.
 	//
-	// +kubebuilder:validation:Minimum=1
+	// +kubebuilder:validation:Minimum=0
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:Maximum=4294967295
 	// +kubebuilder:validation:Format=uint32
 	Requests uint32        `json:"requests"`
diff --git a/charts/gateway-crds-helm/templates/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml b/charts/gateway-crds-helm/templates/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
index e5890ea0e9..ac1975ba2d 100644
--- a/charts/gateway-crds-helm/templates/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
+++ b/charts/gateway-crds-helm/templates/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
@@ -1829,7 +1829,7 @@ spec:
                                     cost-based rate limiting) allowed per Unit.
                                   format: uint32
                                   maximum: 4294967295
-                                  minimum: 1
+                                  minimum: 0
                                   type: integer
                                 unit:
                                   description: |-
@@ -2240,7 +2240,7 @@ spec:
                                     cost-based rate limiting) allowed per Unit.
                                   format: uint32
                                   maximum: 4294967295
-                                  minimum: 1
+                                  minimum: 0
                                   type: integer
                                 unit:
                                   description: |-
@@ -2288,6 +2288,9 @@ spec:
                         maxItems: 16
                         type: array
                         x-kubernetes-validations:
+                        - message: requests must be greater than 0 for local rate
+                            limits
+                          rule: self.all(r, r.limit.requests > 0)
                         - message: response cost is not supported for Local Rate Limits
                           rule: self.all(r, !has(r.cost) || !has(r.cost.response))
                         - message: limit fromMetadata is not supported for Local Rate
diff --git a/charts/gateway-helm/charts/crds/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml b/charts/gateway-helm/charts/crds/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
index d35e2f1cd9..1722f8f6fe 100644
--- a/charts/gateway-helm/charts/crds/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
+++ b/charts/gateway-helm/charts/crds/crds/generated/gateway.envoyproxy.io_backendtrafficpolicies.yaml
@@ -1828,7 +1828,7 @@ spec:
                                     cost-based rate limiting) allowed per Unit.
                                   format: uint32
                                   maximum: 4294967295
-                                  minimum: 1
+                                  minimum: 0
                                   type: integer
                                 unit:
                                   description: |-
@@ -2239,7 +2239,7 @@ spec:
                                     cost-based rate limiting) allowed per Unit.
                                   format: uint32
                                   maximum: 4294967295
-                                  minimum: 1
+                                  minimum: 0
                                   type: integer
                                 unit:
                                   description: |-
@@ -2287,6 +2287,9 @@ spec:
                         maxItems: 16
                         type: array
                         x-kubernetes-validations:
+                        - message: requests must be greater than 0 for local rate
+                            limits
+                          rule: self.all(r, r.limit.requests > 0)
                         - message: response cost is not supported for Local Rate Limits
                           rule: self.all(r, !has(r.cost) || !has(r.cost.response))
                         - message: limit fromMetadata is not supported for Local Rate
diff --git a/release-notes/current/bug_fixes/9273-ratelimit-requests-zero-block-rule.md b/release-notes/current/bug_fixes/9273-ratelimit-requests-zero-block-rule.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..39ef1d9cec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/release-notes/current/bug_fixes/9273-ratelimit-requests-zero-block-rule.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fixed BackendTrafficPolicy global rate limits rejecting `requests: 0`, allowing zero-request global rules to block matching traffic while local zero limits remain rejected.
diff --git a/test/cel-validation/backendtrafficpolicy_test.go b/test/cel-validation/backendtrafficpolicy_test.go
index 6bd00eb1c0..b3bca2b891 100644
--- a/test/cel-validation/backendtrafficpolicy_test.go
+++ b/test/cel-validation/backendtrafficpolicy_test.go
@@ -1936,7 +1936,7 @@ func TestBackendTrafficPolicyTarget(t *testing.T) {
 			wantErrors: []string{},
 		},
 		{
-			desc: "rate limit requests of zero is rejected",
+			desc: "rate limit requests of one is accepted",
 			mutate: func(btp *egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicy) {
 				btp.Spec = egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicySpec{
 					PolicyTargetReferences: egv1a1.PolicyTargetReferences{
@@ -1953,7 +1953,7 @@ func TestBackendTrafficPolicyTarget(t *testing.T) {
 							Rules: []egv1a1.RateLimitRule{
 								{
 									Limit: egv1a1.RateLimitValue{
-										Requests: 0,
+										Requests: 1,
 										Unit:     "Minute",
 									},
 								},
@@ -1962,10 +1962,36 @@ func TestBackendTrafficPolicyTarget(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				}
 			},
-			wantErrors: []string{
-				"spec.ratelimit.global.rules[0].limit.requests",
-				"should be greater than or equal to 1",
+			wantErrors: []string{},
+		},
+		{
+			desc: "global rate limit requests of zero is accepted",
+			mutate: func(btp *egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicy) {
+				btp.Spec = egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicySpec{
+					PolicyTargetReferences: egv1a1.PolicyTargetReferences{
+						TargetRef: &gwapiv1.LocalPolicyTargetReferenceWithSectionName{
+							LocalPolicyTargetReference: gwapiv1.LocalPolicyTargetReference{
+								Group: gwapiv1.Group("gateway.networking.k8s.io"),
+								Kind:  gwapiv1.Kind("Gateway"),
+								Name:  gwapiv1.ObjectName("eg"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					RateLimit: &egv1a1.RateLimitSpec{
+						Global: &egv1a1.GlobalRateLimit{
+							Rules: []egv1a1.RateLimitRule{
+								{
+									Limit: egv1a1.RateLimitValue{
+										Requests: 0,
+										Unit:     "Minute",
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				}
 			},
+			wantErrors: []string{},
 		},
 		{
 			desc: "local rate limit requests at uint32 max boundary is accepted",
@@ -1996,6 +2022,35 @@ func TestBackendTrafficPolicyTarget(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			wantErrors: []string{},
 		},
+		{
+			desc: "local rate limit requests of one is accepted",
+			mutate: func(btp *egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicy) {
+				btp.Spec = egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicySpec{
+					PolicyTargetReferences: egv1a1.PolicyTargetReferences{
+						TargetRef: &gwapiv1.LocalPolicyTargetReferenceWithSectionName{
+							LocalPolicyTargetReference: gwapiv1.LocalPolicyTargetReference{
+								Group: gwapiv1.Group("gateway.networking.k8s.io"),
+								Kind:  gwapiv1.Kind("Gateway"),
+								Name:  gwapiv1.ObjectName("eg"),
+							},
+						},
+					},
+					RateLimit: &egv1a1.RateLimitSpec{
+						Local: &egv1a1.LocalRateLimit{
+							Rules: []egv1a1.RateLimitRule{
+								{
+									Limit: egv1a1.RateLimitValue{
+										Requests: 1,
+										Unit:     "Minute",
+									},
+								},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				}
+			},
+			wantErrors: []string{},
+		},
 		{
 			desc: "local rate limit requests of zero is rejected",
 			mutate: func(btp *egv1a1.BackendTrafficPolicy) {
@@ -2024,8 +2079,7 @@ func TestBackendTrafficPolicyTarget(t *testing.T) {
 				}
 			},
 			wantErrors: []string{
-				"spec.ratelimit.local.rules[0].limit.requests",
-				"should be greater than or equal to 1",
+				"requests must be greater than 0 for local rate limits",
 			},
 		},
 		{