diff --git a/init/README.md b/init/README.md
index 13c6ebdfa..888c65be4 100644
--- a/init/README.md
+++ b/init/README.md
@@ -316,11 +316,14 @@ runs the service.
   intended to be used with the `exec_start` builtin for any must-have checks during boot.
 
 `restart_period <seconds>`
-> If a non-oneshot service exits, it will be restarted at its start time plus
-  this period. It defaults to 5s to rate limit crashing services.
-  This can be increased for services that are meant to run periodically. For
-  example, it may be set to 3600 to indicate that the service should run every hour
-  or 86400 to indicate that the service should run every day.
+> If a non-oneshot service exits, it will be restarted at its previous start time plus this period.
+  The default value is 5s. This can be used to implement periodic services together with the
+  `timeout_period` command below. For example, it may be set to 3600 to indicate that the service
+  should run every hour or 86400 to indicate that the service should run every day. This can be set
+  to a value shorter than 5s for example 0, but the minimum 5s delay is enforced if the restart was
+  due to a crash. This is to rate limit persistentally crashing services. In other words,
+  `<seconds>` smaller than 5 is respected only when the service exits deliverately and successfully
+  (i.e. by calling exit(0)).
 
 `rlimit <resource> <cur> <max>`
 > This applies the given rlimit to the service. rlimits are inherited by child
diff --git a/init/service.cpp b/init/service.cpp
index bd704cf8e..7d83d60e4 100644
--- a/init/service.cpp
+++ b/init/service.cpp
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ void Service::Reap(const siginfo_t& siginfo) {
     pid_ = 0;
     flags_ &= (~SVC_RUNNING);
     start_order_ = 0;
+    was_last_exit_ok_ = siginfo.si_code == CLD_EXITED && siginfo.si_status == 0;
 
     // Oneshot processes go into the disabled state on exit,
     // except when manually restarted.
@@ -321,7 +322,8 @@ void Service::Reap(const siginfo_t& siginfo) {
     // If we crash > 4 times in 'fatal_crash_window_' minutes or before boot_completed,
     // reboot into bootloader or set crashing property
     boot_clock::time_point now = boot_clock::now();
-    if (((flags_ & SVC_CRITICAL) || is_process_updatable) && !(flags_ & SVC_RESTART)) {
+    if (((flags_ & SVC_CRITICAL) || is_process_updatable) && !(flags_ & SVC_RESTART) &&
+        !was_last_exit_ok_) {
         bool boot_completed = GetBoolProperty("sys.boot_completed", false);
         if (now < time_crashed_ + fatal_crash_window_ || !boot_completed) {
             if (++crash_count_ > 4) {
diff --git a/init/service.h b/init/service.h
index c314aa1c6..f5f361901 100644
--- a/init/service.h
+++ b/init/service.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <sys/types.h>
 
+#include <algorithm>
 #include <chrono>
 #include <memory>
 #include <optional>
@@ -113,6 +114,7 @@ class Service {
     pid_t pid() const { return pid_; }
     android::base::boot_clock::time_point time_started() const { return time_started_; }
     int crash_count() const { return crash_count_; }
+    int was_last_exit_ok() const { return was_last_exit_ok_; }
     uid_t uid() const { return proc_attr_.uid; }
     gid_t gid() const { return proc_attr_.gid; }
     int namespace_flags() const { return namespaces_.flags; }
@@ -128,7 +130,15 @@ class Service {
     bool process_cgroup_empty() const { return process_cgroup_empty_; }
     unsigned long start_order() const { return start_order_; }
     void set_sigstop(bool value) { sigstop_ = value; }
-    std::chrono::seconds restart_period() const { return restart_period_; }
+    std::chrono::seconds restart_period() const {
+        // If the service exited abnormally or due to timeout, late limit the restart even if
+        // restart_period is set to a very short value.
+        // If not, i.e. restart after a deliberate and successful exit, respect the period.
+        if (!was_last_exit_ok_) {
+            return std::max(restart_period_, default_restart_period_);
+        }
+        return restart_period_;
+    }
     std::optional<std::chrono::seconds> timeout_period() const { return timeout_period_; }
     const std::vector<std::string>& args() const { return args_; }
     bool is_updatable() const { return updatable_; }
@@ -171,6 +181,8 @@ class Service {
     int crash_count_;                     // number of times crashed within window
     std::chrono::minutes fatal_crash_window_ = 4min;  // fatal() when more than 4 crashes in it
     std::optional<std::string> fatal_reboot_target_;  // reboot target of fatal handler
+    bool was_last_exit_ok_ =
+            true;  // true if the service never exited, or exited with status code 0
 
     std::optional<CapSet> capabilities_;
     ProcessAttributes proc_attr_;
@@ -211,7 +223,8 @@ class Service {
 
     bool sigstop_ = false;
 
-    std::chrono::seconds restart_period_ = 5s;
+    const std::chrono::seconds default_restart_period_ = 5s;
+    std::chrono::seconds restart_period_ = default_restart_period_;
     std::optional<std::chrono::seconds> timeout_period_;
 
     bool updatable_ = false;
diff --git a/init/service_parser.cpp b/init/service_parser.cpp
index 9e914ee7c..08d82c1d3 100644
--- a/init/service_parser.cpp
+++ b/init/service_parser.cpp
@@ -364,8 +364,8 @@ Result<void> ServiceParser::ParseRebootOnFailure(std::vector<std::string>&& args
 
 Result<void> ServiceParser::ParseRestartPeriod(std::vector<std::string>&& args) {
     int period;
-    if (!ParseInt(args[1], &period, 5)) {
-        return Error() << "restart_period value must be an integer >= 5";
+    if (!ParseInt(args[1], &period, 0)) {
+        return Error() << "restart_period value must be an integer >= 0";
     }
     service_->restart_period_ = std::chrono::seconds(period);
     return {};