diff --git a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis-cluster.lua b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis-cluster.lua
index 21ae635c10fd..514359b66a55 100644
--- a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis-cluster.lua
+++ b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis-cluster.lua
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ function _M.new(plugin_name, conf, rate, burst)
         burst = burst * 1000,
         rate = rate * 1000,
         red_cli = red_cli,
+        use_evalsha = false,
     }
     return setmetatable(self, mt)
 end
diff --git a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis.lua b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis.lua
index f35eaa155480..9ede35229ea0 100644
--- a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis.lua
+++ b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/limit-req-redis.lua
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ function _M.new(plugin_name, conf, rate, burst)
         plugin_name = plugin_name,
         burst = burst * 1000,
         rate = rate * 1000,
+        use_evalsha = true,
     }
     return setmetatable(self, mt)
 end
diff --git a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/util.lua b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/util.lua
index 6724889f1321..42d4fc9124c4 100644
--- a/apisix/plugins/limit-req/util.lua
+++ b/apisix/plugins/limit-req/util.lua
@@ -14,61 +14,103 @@
 -- See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 -- limitations under the License.
 --
-local math              = require "math"
-local abs               = math.abs
-local max               = math.max
 local ngx_now           = ngx.now
-local ngx_null          = ngx.null
 local tonumber          = tonumber
+local core              = require("apisix.core")
 
 
 local _M = {version = 0.1}
 
 
+local redis_incoming_script = core.string.compress_script([=[
+  local state_key  = KEYS[1]             -- state_key (hash), fields: "excess", "last"
+  local rate       = tonumber(ARGV[1])   -- req/s
+  local now        = tonumber(ARGV[2])   -- ms
+  local burst      = tonumber(ARGV[3])   -- req/s
+  local commit     = tonumber(ARGV[4])   -- 1/0
+
+  local vals = redis.call("HMGET", state_key, "excess", "last")
+  local prev_excess = tonumber(vals[1] or "0")
+  local prev_last   = tonumber(vals[2] or "0")
+
+  local new_excess
+  if prev_last > 0 then
+    local elapsed = math.abs(now - prev_last)
+    new_excess = math.max(prev_excess - rate * (elapsed) / 1000 + 1000, 0)
+  else
+    new_excess = 0
+  end
+
+  if new_excess > burst then
+    return {0, new_excess}
+  end
+
+  if commit == 1 then
+    redis.call("HMSET", state_key, "excess", new_excess, "last", now)
+    local ttl = math.ceil(burst / rate) + 1
+    redis.call("EXPIRE", state_key, ttl)
+  end
+
+  return {1, new_excess}
+]=])
+
+local redis_incoming_script_sha
+
+
+local function generate_redis_sha1(red)
+    local sha1, err = red:script("LOAD", redis_incoming_script)
+    if not sha1 then
+        return nil, err
+    end
+    return sha1
+end
+
+
 -- the "commit" argument controls whether should we record the event in shm.
 function _M.incoming(self, red, key, commit)
     local rate = self.rate
     local now = ngx_now() * 1000
 
-    key = "limit_req" .. ":" .. key
-    local excess_key = key .. "excess"
-    local last_key = key .. "last"
+    local state_key = "limit_req:{" .. key .. "}:state"
 
-    local excess, err = red:get(excess_key)
-    if err then
-        return nil, err
-    end
-    local last, err = red:get(last_key)
-    if err then
-        return nil, err
-    end
+    local commit_flag = commit and "1" or "0"
 
-    if excess ~= ngx_null and last ~= ngx_null then
-        excess = tonumber(excess)
-        last = tonumber(last)
-        local elapsed = now - last
-        excess = max(excess - rate * abs(elapsed) / 1000 + 1000, 0)
+    local res, err
 
-        if excess > self.burst then
-            return nil, "rejected"
+    if self.use_evalsha then
+        if not redis_incoming_script_sha then
+            redis_incoming_script_sha, err = generate_redis_sha1(red)
+            if not redis_incoming_script_sha then
+                core.log.error("failed to generate redis sha1: ", err)
+                return nil, err
+            end
+        end
+        -- Try EVALSHA first (fast path).
+        res, err = red:evalsha(redis_incoming_script_sha, 1, state_key,
+                              rate, now, self.burst, commit_flag)
+
+        -- If the script isn't cached on this Redis node, fall back to EVAL.
+        if err and core.string.has_prefix(err, "NOSCRIPT") then
+            core.log.warn("redis evalsha failed: ", err, ". Falling back to eval...")
+            redis_incoming_script_sha = nil
+            res, err = red:eval(redis_incoming_script, 1, state_key,
+                                rate, now, self.burst, commit_flag)
         end
     else
-        excess = 0
+        -- rediscluster: prefer reliability (scripts are cached per node)
+        res, err = red:eval(redis_incoming_script, 1, state_key,
+                            rate, now, self.burst, commit_flag)
     end
 
-    if commit then
-        local ttl = math.ceil(self.burst / self.rate) + 1
-        local ok, err
+    if not res then
+        return nil, err
+    end
 
-        ok, err = red:set(excess_key, excess, "EX", ttl)
-        if not ok then
-            return nil, err
-        end
+    local allowed = tonumber(res[1]) == 1
+    local excess  = tonumber(res[2]) or 0
 
-        ok, err = red:set(last_key, now, "EX", ttl)
-        if not ok then
-            return nil, err
-        end
+    if not allowed then
+        return nil, "rejected"
     end
 
     -- return the delay in seconds, as well as excess
diff --git a/t/plugin/limit-req-redis-cluster.t b/t/plugin/limit-req-redis-cluster.t
index 8336858d8cc6..b84258a877dc 100644
--- a/t/plugin/limit-req-redis-cluster.t
+++ b/t/plugin/limit-req-redis-cluster.t
@@ -638,3 +638,121 @@ qr/property \"rate\" validation failed: expected 0 to be greater than 0/
 GET /t
 --- response_body
 keepalive set success
+
+
+
+=== TEST 23: verify atomic Redis cluster operations with hash key structure
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local redis_cluster = require("apisix.utils.rediscluster")
+            local conf = {
+                redis_cluster_name = "test",
+                redis_cluster_nodes = {
+                    "127.0.0.1:5000",
+                    "127.0.0.1:5002"
+                }
+            }
+            local red_c, err = redis_cluster.new(conf, "plugin-limit-req-redis-cluster-slot-lock")
+            if not red_c then
+                ngx.say("Failed to create Redis cluster client: ", err)
+                return
+            end
+
+            -- Clean up any existing keys
+            red_c:del("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+
+            -- Test the new hash-based key structure
+            local util = require("apisix.plugins.limit-req.util")
+            local limiter = {
+                rate = 10,    -- 10 req/s
+                burst = 1000  -- 1000 req/s burst
+            }
+
+            -- First request should succeed (use non-pipeline client)
+            local delay, excess = util.incoming(limiter, red_c, "test_key", true)
+            if delay then
+                ngx.say("first request: delay=", delay, " excess=", excess)
+            else
+                ngx.say("first request failed: ", excess)
+            end
+
+            -- Verify the Redis hash was created with correct key format
+            local vals, err = red_c:hmget("limit_req:{test_key}:state", "excess", "last")
+            if vals and vals[1] and vals[2] then
+                ngx.say("hash key created: excess=", vals[1], " last=", vals[2])
+            else
+                ngx.say("hash key not found")
+            end
+
+            -- Verify TTL was set
+            local ttl = red_c:ttl("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+            if ttl and ttl > 0 then
+                ngx.say("TTL set: ", ttl, " seconds")
+            else
+                ngx.say("TTL not set")
+            end
+
+            -- Clean up
+            red_c:del("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body_like
+first request: delay=\d+\.?\d* excess=\d+\.?\d*
+hash key created: excess=\d+ last=\d+
+TTL set: \d+ seconds
+
+
+
+=== TEST 24: verify atomic behavior prevents race conditions in cluster
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local t = require("lib.test_admin").test
+            local code, body = t('/apisix/admin/routes/1',
+                 ngx.HTTP_PUT,
+                 [[{
+                    "plugins": {
+                        "limit-req": {
+                            "rate": 1,
+                            "burst": 0,
+                            "rejected_code": 503,
+                            "key": "remote_addr",
+                            "policy": "redis-cluster",
+                            "redis_cluster_name": "test",
+                            "redis_cluster_nodes": [
+                                "127.0.0.1:5000",
+                                "127.0.0.1:5002"
+                            ]
+                        }
+                    },
+                        "upstream": {
+                            "nodes": {
+                                "127.0.0.1:1980": 1
+                            },
+                            "type": "roundrobin"
+                        },
+                        "uri": "/hello"
+                }]]
+                )
+
+            if code >= 300 then
+                ngx.status = code
+            end
+            ngx.say(body)
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body
+passed
+
+
+
+=== TEST 25: test atomic rate limiting with rapid requests in cluster
+--- pipelined_requests eval
+["GET /hello", "GET /hello"]
+--- error_code eval
+[200, 503]
diff --git a/t/plugin/limit-req-redis.t b/t/plugin/limit-req-redis.t
index b305b8ea0999..82cb3c74a24a 100644
--- a/t/plugin/limit-req-redis.t
+++ b/t/plugin/limit-req-redis.t
@@ -660,3 +660,114 @@ passed
 GET /t
 --- response_body eval
 qr/property \"rate\" validation failed: expected 0 to be greater than 0/
+
+
+
+=== TEST 25: verify atomic Redis operations with hash key structure
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local redis = require "resty.redis"
+            local red = redis:new()
+            red:set_timeout(1000)
+
+            local ok, err = red:connect("127.0.0.1", 6379)
+            if not ok then
+                ngx.say("failed to connect: ", err)
+                return
+            end
+
+            -- Clean up any existing keys
+            red:del("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+
+            -- Test the new hash-based key structure
+            local util = require("apisix.plugins.limit-req.util")
+            local limiter = {
+                rate = 10,    -- 10 req/s
+                burst = 1000  -- 1000 req/s burst
+            }
+
+            -- First request should succeed
+            local delay, excess = util.incoming(limiter, red, "test_key", true)
+            if delay then
+                ngx.say("first request: delay=", delay, " excess=", excess)
+            else
+                ngx.say("first request failed: ", excess)
+            end
+
+            -- Verify the Redis hash was created with correct key format
+            local vals = red:hmget("limit_req:{test_key}:state", "excess", "last")
+            if vals[1] and vals[2] then
+                ngx.say("hash key created: excess=", vals[1], " last=", vals[2])
+            else
+                ngx.say("hash key not found")
+            end
+
+            -- Verify TTL was set
+            local ttl = red:ttl("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+            if ttl and ttl > 0 then
+                ngx.say("TTL set: ", ttl, " seconds")
+            else
+                ngx.say("TTL not set")
+            end
+
+            -- Clean up
+            red:del("limit_req:{test_key}:state")
+            red:close()
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body_like
+first request: delay=\d+\.?\d* excess=\d+\.?\d*
+hash key created: excess=\d+ last=\d+
+TTL set: \d+ seconds
+
+
+
+=== TEST 26: verify atomic behavior prevents race conditions
+--- config
+    location /t {
+        content_by_lua_block {
+            local t = require("lib.test_admin").test
+            local code, body = t('/apisix/admin/routes/1',
+                 ngx.HTTP_PUT,
+                 [[{
+                    "plugins": {
+                        "limit-req": {
+                            "rate": 1,
+                            "burst": 0,
+                            "rejected_code": 503,
+                            "key": "remote_addr",
+                            "policy": "redis",
+                            "redis_host": "127.0.0.1"
+                        }
+                    },
+                        "upstream": {
+                            "nodes": {
+                                "127.0.0.1:1980": 1
+                            },
+                            "type": "roundrobin"
+                        },
+                        "uri": "/hello"
+                }]]
+                )
+
+            if code >= 300 then
+                ngx.status = code
+            end
+            ngx.say(body)
+        }
+    }
+--- request
+GET /t
+--- response_body
+passed
+
+
+
+=== TEST 27: test atomic rate limiting with rapid requests
+--- pipelined_requests eval
+["GET /hello", "GET /hello"]
+--- error_code eval
+[200, 503]