Technical solutions are described for limiting exposure of components of an emissions control system to rich exhaust conditions. An example an emissions control system includes an oxygen storage component; and a controller that limits exposure of the oxygen storage component to rich exhaust conditions. The limiting includes determining an air-to-fuel equivalence ratio in exhaust gas in response to an engine receiving a request to generate torque, the request including a displacement of a pedal; determining an amount of oxygen in the exhaust gas based on the air-to-fuel equivalence ratio; determining an oxygen level stored by the oxygen storage component; and if the oxygen level is above a predetermined threshold, lowering a torque generation rate of the engine, which specifies amount of torque generated per unit displacement of the pedal.