diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/GuaranteedThroughputSampler.java b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/GuaranteedThroughputSampler.java
index 38ee56a..90abdb1 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/GuaranteedThroughputSampler.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/GuaranteedThroughputSampler.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public synchronized boolean update(double samplingRate, double lowerBound) {
       isUpdated = true;
     }
     if (lowerBound != lowerBoundSampler.getMaxTracesPerSecond()) {
-      lowerBoundSampler = new RateLimitingSampler(lowerBound);
+      lowerBoundSampler.update(lowerBound);
       isUpdated = true;
     }
     return isUpdated;
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSampler.java b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSampler.java
index 848d192..6ec5226 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSampler.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSampler.java
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 import com.uber.jaeger.Constants;
 import com.uber.jaeger.utils.RateLimiter;
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.HashMap;
 import java.util.Map;
 import lombok.Getter;
@@ -26,30 +25,29 @@
 @ToString(exclude = "rateLimiter")
 public class RateLimitingSampler implements Sampler {
   public static final String TYPE = "ratelimiting";
+  private static final double MINUMUM_BALANCE = 1.0;
 
   private final RateLimiter rateLimiter;
   @Getter
-  private final double maxTracesPerSecond;
+  private double maxTracesPerSecond;
   private final Map<String, Object> tags;
 
   public RateLimitingSampler(double maxTracesPerSecond) {
     this.maxTracesPerSecond = maxTracesPerSecond;
-    double maxBalance = maxTracesPerSecond < 1.0 ? 1.0 : maxTracesPerSecond;
-    this.rateLimiter = new RateLimiter(maxTracesPerSecond, maxBalance);
+    this.rateLimiter = new RateLimiter(maxTracesPerSecond, getMaxBalance(maxTracesPerSecond));
 
-    Map<String, Object> tags = new HashMap<String, Object>();
+    this.tags = new HashMap<String, Object>();
     tags.put(Constants.SAMPLER_TYPE_TAG_KEY, TYPE);
     tags.put(Constants.SAMPLER_PARAM_TAG_KEY, maxTracesPerSecond);
-    this.tags = Collections.unmodifiableMap(tags);
   }
 
   @Override
-  public SamplingStatus sample(String operation, long id) {
-    return SamplingStatus.of(this.rateLimiter.checkCredit(1.0), tags);
+  public synchronized SamplingStatus sample(String operation, long id) {
+    return SamplingStatus.of(this.rateLimiter.checkCredit(MINUMUM_BALANCE), tags);
   }
 
   @Override
-  public boolean equals(Object other) {
+  public synchronized boolean equals(Object other) {
     if (this == other) {
       return true;
     }
@@ -59,6 +57,20 @@ public boolean equals(Object other) {
     return false;
   }
 
+  public synchronized boolean update(double maxTracesPerSecond) {
+    if (this.maxTracesPerSecond == maxTracesPerSecond) {
+      return false;
+    }
+    this.maxTracesPerSecond = maxTracesPerSecond;
+    rateLimiter.update(maxTracesPerSecond, getMaxBalance(maxTracesPerSecond));
+    tags.put(Constants.SAMPLER_PARAM_TAG_KEY, maxTracesPerSecond);
+    return true;
+  }
+
+  private double getMaxBalance(double maxTracesPerSecond) {
+    return maxTracesPerSecond < MINUMUM_BALANCE ? MINUMUM_BALANCE : maxTracesPerSecond;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Only implemented to maintain compatibility with sampling interface.
    */
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSampler.java b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSampler.java
index 76a1db6..ab58dcf 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSampler.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSampler.java
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ private void updateRateLimitingOrProbabilisticSampler(SamplingStrategyResponse r
       sampler = new ProbabilisticSampler(strategy.getSamplingRate());
     } else if (response.getRateLimitingSampling() != null) {
       RateLimitingSamplingStrategy strategy = response.getRateLimitingSampling();
-      sampler = new RateLimitingSampler(strategy.getMaxTracesPerSecond());
+      sampler = updateRateLimitingSampler(strategy.getMaxTracesPerSecond());
     } else {
       metrics.samplerParsingFailure.inc(1);
       log.error("No strategy present in response. Not updating sampler.");
@@ -145,6 +145,16 @@ private void updateRateLimitingOrProbabilisticSampler(SamplingStrategyResponse r
     }
   }
 
+  private Sampler updateRateLimitingSampler(double maxTracesPerSecond) {
+    if (this.sampler instanceof RateLimitingSampler) {
+      if (((RateLimitingSampler) this.sampler).update(maxTracesPerSecond)) {
+        metrics.samplerUpdated.inc(1);
+      }
+      return this.sampler;
+    }
+    return new RateLimitingSampler(maxTracesPerSecond);
+  }
+
   private synchronized void updatePerOperationSampler(OperationSamplingParameters samplingParameters) {
     if (sampler instanceof PerOperationSampler) {
       if (((PerOperationSampler) sampler).update(samplingParameters)) {
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiter.java b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiter.java
index fb7e2e7..ecc649e 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiter.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/main/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiter.java
@@ -14,25 +14,48 @@
 
 package com.uber.jaeger.utils;
 
+import java.util.Random;
+
 public class RateLimiter {
-  private final double creditsPerNanosecond;
+
+  private static final double SECONDS_IN_NANOSECONDS = 1.0e9;
+  private static final Random RANDOM = new Random();
+
+  private double creditsPerNanosecond;
   private final Clock clock;
   private double balance;
   private double maxBalance;
   private long lastTick;
 
   public RateLimiter(double creditsPerSecond, double maxBalance) {
-    this(creditsPerSecond, maxBalance, new SystemClock());
+    this(creditsPerSecond, maxBalance, new SystemClock(), maxBalance * RANDOM.nextDouble());
   }
 
-  public RateLimiter(double creditsPerSecond, double maxBalance, Clock clock) {
+  public RateLimiter(double creditsPerSecond, double maxBalance, Clock clock, double initialBalance) {
     this.clock = clock;
-    this.balance = maxBalance;
+    this.balance = initialBalance;
+    this.maxBalance = maxBalance;
+    this.creditsPerNanosecond = creditsPerSecond / SECONDS_IN_NANOSECONDS;
+  }
+
+  public void update(double creditsPerSecond, double maxBalance) {
+    updateBalance();
+    creditsPerNanosecond = creditsPerSecond / SECONDS_IN_NANOSECONDS;
+    // The new balance should be proportional to the old balance.
+    balance = maxBalance * balance / this.maxBalance;
     this.maxBalance = maxBalance;
-    this.creditsPerNanosecond = creditsPerSecond / 1.0e9;
   }
 
   public boolean checkCredit(double itemCost) {
+    updateBalance();
+    if (balance >= itemCost) {
+      balance -= itemCost;
+      return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  private void updateBalance() {
     long currentTime = clock.currentNanoTicks();
     double elapsedTime = currentTime - lastTick;
     lastTick = currentTime;
@@ -40,10 +63,5 @@ public boolean checkCredit(double itemCost) {
     if (balance > maxBalance) {
       balance = maxBalance;
     }
-    if (balance >= itemCost) {
-      balance -= itemCost;
-      return true;
-    }
-    return false;
   }
 }
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestConstSampler.java b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/ConstSamplerTest.java
similarity index 96%
rename from jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestConstSampler.java
rename to jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/ConstSamplerTest.java
index 22b8bac..502b9be 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestConstSampler.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/ConstSamplerTest.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import java.util.Map;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
-public class TestConstSampler {
+public class ConstSamplerTest {
   @Test
   public void testTags() {
     ConstSampler sampler = new ConstSampler(true);
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestRateLimitingSampler.java b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSamplerTest.java
similarity index 76%
rename from jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestRateLimitingSampler.java
rename to jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSamplerTest.java
index 610ec58..9306612 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/TestRateLimitingSampler.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RateLimitingSamplerTest.java
@@ -15,16 +15,24 @@
 package com.uber.jaeger.samplers;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
 
 import java.util.Map;
 import org.junit.Test;
 
-public class TestRateLimitingSampler {
+public class RateLimitingSamplerTest {
   @Test
   public void testTags() {
     RateLimitingSampler sampler = new RateLimitingSampler(123);
     Map<String, Object> tags = sampler.sample("operate", 11).getTags();
     assertEquals("ratelimiting", tags.get("sampler.type"));
     assertEquals(123.0, tags.get("sampler.param"));
+
+    assertFalse(sampler.update(123));
+
+    assertTrue(sampler.update(42));
+    tags = sampler.sample("operate", 11).getTags();
+    assertEquals(42.0, tags.get("sampler.param"));
   }
 }
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSamplerTest.java b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSamplerTest.java
index a2d08cc..415f083 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSamplerTest.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/samplers/RemoteControlledSamplerTest.java
@@ -43,13 +43,15 @@ public class RemoteControlledSamplerTest {
   @Mock private SamplingManager samplingManager;
   @Mock private Sampler initialSampler;
   private Metrics metrics;
+  private InMemoryStatsReporter metricsReporter;
   private static final String SERVICE_NAME = "thachi mamu";
 
   private RemoteControlledSampler undertest;
 
   @Before
   public void setUp() throws Exception {
-    metrics = Metrics.fromStatsReporter(new InMemoryStatsReporter());
+    metricsReporter = new InMemoryStatsReporter();
+    metrics = Metrics.fromStatsReporter(metricsReporter);
     undertest = new RemoteControlledSampler(SERVICE_NAME, samplingManager, initialSampler, metrics);
   }
 
@@ -80,6 +82,22 @@ public void testUpdateToRateLimitingSampler() throws Exception {
     undertest.updateSampler();
 
     assertEquals(new RateLimitingSampler(tracesPerSecond), undertest.getSampler());
+    assertEquals(1L, (long) metricsReporter.counters.get("jaeger:sampler_updates.result=ok"));
+
+    // Update should be short circuited if using the same strategy
+    undertest.updateSampler();
+    assertEquals(1L, (long) metricsReporter.counters.get("jaeger:sampler_updates.result=ok"));
+
+    // Try updating an already existing rateLimitingSampler
+    final int newTracesPerSecond = 24;
+    rateLimitingResponse = new SamplingStrategyResponse(null,
+      new RateLimitingSamplingStrategy(newTracesPerSecond), null);
+    when(samplingManager.getSamplingStrategy(SERVICE_NAME)).thenReturn(rateLimitingResponse);
+
+    undertest.updateSampler();
+      
+    assertEquals(new RateLimitingSampler(newTracesPerSecond), undertest.getSampler());
+    assertEquals(2L, (long) metricsReporter.counters.get("jaeger:sampler_updates.result=ok"));
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiterTest.java b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiterTest.java
index 6d20e2d..a3d3f23 100644
--- a/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiterTest.java
+++ b/jaeger-core/src/test/java/com/uber/jaeger/utils/RateLimiterTest.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public boolean isMicrosAccurate() {
   @Test
   public void testRateLimiterWholeNumber() {
     MockClock clock = new MockClock();
-    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(2.0, 2.0, clock);
+    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(2.0, 2.0, clock, 2.0);
 
     long currentTime = TimeUnit.MICROSECONDS.toNanos(100);
     clock.timeNanos = currentTime;
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public void testRateLimiterWholeNumber() {
   @Test
   public void testRateLimiterLessThanOne() {
     MockClock clock = new MockClock();
-    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(0.5, 0.5, clock);
+    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(0.5, 0.5, clock, 0.5);
 
     long currentTime = TimeUnit.MICROSECONDS.toNanos(100);
     clock.timeNanos = currentTime;
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public void testRateLimiterLessThanOne() {
   @Test
   public void testRateLimiterMaxBalance() {
     MockClock clock = new MockClock();
-    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(0.1, 1.0, clock);
+    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(0.1, 1.0, clock, 1.0);
 
     long currentTime = TimeUnit.MICROSECONDS.toNanos(100);
     clock.timeNanos = currentTime;
@@ -126,4 +126,23 @@ public void testRateLimiterMaxBalance() {
     assertTrue(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
     assertFalse(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testRateLimiterUpdate() {
+    RateLimiter limiter = new RateLimiter(3.0, 3.0, new MockClock(), 3.0);
+  
+    // After this call, there should be 2 credits left.
+    assertTrue(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
+  
+    // Update to a max balance of 1 should only leave 2/3 credits, not enough for a message.
+    limiter.update(1.0, 1.0);
+    assertFalse(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
+  
+    // Revert back to max balance of 3, there should be 2 credits available.
+    limiter.update(3.0, 3.0);
+    assertTrue(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
+    assertTrue(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
+    assertFalse(limiter.checkCredit(1.0));
+  }
 }
+