diff --git a/generator/filegen/filegen.go b/generator/filegen/filegen.go
index 6d63d40..ac8d340 100644
--- a/generator/filegen/filegen.go
+++ b/generator/filegen/filegen.go
@@ -315,45 +315,45 @@ func (g *FileLogGenerator) worker(id int, writer output.Writer, files []string)
 
 	// Distribute files among workers
 	fileIdx := id
-	backoff := backoff.NewExponentialBackOff()
-	backoff.InitialInterval = g.rate
+
+	// Use exponential backoff with configured rate as initial interval
+	backoffConfig := backoff.NewExponentialBackOff()
+	backoffConfig.InitialInterval = g.rate
+	backoffConfig.MaxInterval = 5 * time.Second
+	backoffConfig.MaxElapsedTime = 0 // Never stop retrying
+
+	backoffTicker := backoff.NewTicker(backoffConfig)
+	defer backoffTicker.Stop()
 
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-g.stopCh:
 			g.logger.Debug("Worker received stop signal", zap.Int("id", id))
 			return
-		default:
-		}
-
-		if fileIdx >= len(files) {
-			// Cycle back to the beginning
-			fileIdx = 0
-		}
+		case <-backoffTicker.C:
+			if fileIdx >= len(files) {
+				// Cycle back to the beginning
+				fileIdx = 0
+			}
 
-		file := files[fileIdx]
-		err := g.readAndWriteFile(file, writer)
-		if err != nil {
-			g.logger.Error("Error reading file", zap.String("file", file), zap.Error(err))
-			g.writeErrors.Add(context.Background(), 1,
-				metric.WithAttributeSet(
-					attribute.NewSet(
-						attribute.String("component", "generator_file"),
+			file := files[fileIdx]
+			err := g.readAndWriteFile(file, writer)
+			if err != nil {
+				g.logger.Error("Error reading file", zap.String("file", file), zap.Error(err))
+				g.writeErrors.Add(context.Background(), 1,
+					metric.WithAttributeSet(
+						attribute.NewSet(
+							attribute.String("component", "generator_file"),
+						),
 					),
-				),
-			)
-		}
-
-		fileIdx += g.workers
+				)
+				// On error, backoff will automatically handle retry timing
+				continue
+			}
 
-		// Apply backoff for rate limiting
-		ticker := time.NewTicker(backoff.NextBackOff())
-		select {
-		case <-g.stopCh:
-			ticker.Stop()
-			return
-		case <-ticker.C:
-			ticker.Stop()
+			// On success, reset backoff to configured rate
+			backoffConfig.Reset()
+			fileIdx += g.workers
 		}
 	}
 }