diff --git a/disperser/apiserver/config.go b/disperser/apiserver/config.go
index a4121427d3..e9c5041057 100644
--- a/disperser/apiserver/config.go
+++ b/disperser/apiserver/config.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/Layr-Labs/eigenda/common"
@@ -164,9 +165,11 @@ func ReadAllowlistFromFile(f string) (Allowlist, error) {
 	}
 
 	for _, entry := range allowlistEntries {
-		rateInfoByQuorum, ok := allowlist[entry.Account]
+		// normalize account/address to lowercase
+		account := strings.ToLower(entry.Account)
+		rateInfoByQuorum, ok := allowlist[account]
 		if !ok {
-			allowlist[entry.Account] = map[core.QuorumID]PerUserRateInfo{
+			allowlist[account] = map[core.QuorumID]PerUserRateInfo{
 				core.QuorumID(entry.QuorumID): {
 					Name:       entry.Name,
 					Throughput: common.RateParam(entry.ByteRate),
diff --git a/disperser/apiserver/server.go b/disperser/apiserver/server.go
index 578cf5622b..5699271678 100644
--- a/disperser/apiserver/server.go
+++ b/disperser/apiserver/server.go
@@ -325,16 +325,10 @@ func (s *DispersalServer) getAccountRate(origin, authenticatedAddress string, qu
 
 	// Check if the address is in the allowlist
 	if len(authenticatedAddress) > 0 {
+		// Normalize to non-checksummed (lowercase) address
+		authenticatedAddress = strings.ToLower(authenticatedAddress)
+
 		quorumRates, ok := s.rateConfig.Allowlist[authenticatedAddress]
-		if !ok {
-			// check fallback address (non-checksummed)
-			fallbackAuthenticatedAddress := strings.ToLower(authenticatedAddress)
-			quorumRates, ok = s.rateConfig.Allowlist[fallbackAuthenticatedAddress]
-			if ok {
-				s.logger.Warn("authenticated address found via fallback lookup", "authenticatedAddress", authenticatedAddress, "fallback", fallbackAuthenticatedAddress)
-				authenticatedAddress = fallbackAuthenticatedAddress
-			}
-		}
 		if ok {
 			rateInfo, ok := quorumRates[quorumID]
 			if ok {
@@ -351,7 +345,6 @@ func (s *DispersalServer) getAccountRate(origin, authenticatedAddress string, qu
 		} else {
 			s.logger.Warn("authenticated address not found in allowlist", "authenticatedAddress", authenticatedAddress)
 		}
-
 	}
 
 	// Check if the origin is in the allowlist