1 files changed, 20 insertions, 16 deletions
diff --git a/rest_framework/throttling.py b/rest_framework/throttling.py
index e7750478..0d33f0e2 100644
--- a/rest_framework/throttling.py
+++ b/rest_framework/throttling.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import time
 from django.core.cache import cache
+from rest_framework import exceptions
 from rest_framework.settings import api_settings
 
 
@@ -49,8 +50,9 @@ class SimpleRateThottle(BaseThrottle):
 
     def __init__(self, view):
         super(SimpleRateThottle, self).__init__(view)
-        rate = self.get_rate_description()
-        self.num_requests, self.duration = self.parse_rate_description(rate)
+        if not getattr(self, 'rate', None):
+            self.rate = self.get_rate()
+        self.num_requests, self.duration = self.parse_rate(self.rate)
 
     def get_cache_key(self, request):
         """
@@ -61,21 +63,28 @@ class SimpleRateThottle(BaseThrottle):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError('.get_cache_key() must be overridden')
 
-    def get_rate_description(self):
+    def get_rate(self):
         """
         Determine the string representation of the allowed request rate.
         """
+        if not getattr(self, 'scope', None):
+            msg = ("You must set either `.scope` or `.rate` for '%s' thottle" %
+                   self.__class__.__name__)
+            raise exceptions.ConfigurationError(msg)
+
         try:
-            return self.rate
-        except AttributeError:
-            return self.settings.DEFAULT_THROTTLE_RATES.get(self.scope)
+            return self.settings.DEFAULT_THROTTLE_RATES[self.scope]
+        except KeyError:
+            msg = "No default throttle rate set for '%s' scope" % self.scope
+            raise exceptions.ConfigurationError(msg)
 
-    def parse_rate_description(self, rate):
+    def parse_rate(self, rate):
         """
         Given the request rate string, return a two tuple of:
         <allowed number of requests>, <period of time in seconds>
         """
-        assert rate, "No throttle rate set for '%s'" % self.__class__.__name__
+        if rate is None:
+            return (None, None)
         num, period = rate.split('/')
         num_requests = int(num)
         duration = {'s': 1, 'm': 60, 'h': 3600, 'd': 86400}[period[0]]
@@ -88,6 +97,9 @@ class SimpleRateThottle(BaseThrottle):
         On success calls `throttle_success`.
         On failure calls `throttle_failure`.
         """
+        if self.rate is None:
+            return True
+
         self.key = self.get_cache_key(request)
         self.history = cache.get(self.key, [])
         self.now = self.timer()
@@ -188,14 +200,6 @@ class ScopedRateThrottle(SimpleRateThottle):
         self.scope = getattr(self.view, self.scope_attr, None)
         super(ScopedRateThrottle, self).__init__(view)
 
-    def parse_rate_description(self, rate):
-        """
-        Subclassed so that we don't fail if `view.throttle_scope` is not set.
-        """
-        if not rate:
-            return (None, None)
-        return super(ScopedRateThrottle, self).parse_rate_description(rate)
-
     def get_cache_key(self, request):
         """
         If `view.throttle_scope` is not set, don't apply this throttle.