diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index 374612fc..9d1bc69f 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ async function getAncestors(event: Event<1>, result = [] as Event<1>[]): Promise
 }
 
 function getDescendants(eventId: string): Promise<SignedEvent<1>[]> {
-  return getFilter({ kinds: [1], '#e': [eventId] }) as Promise<SignedEvent<1>[]>;
+  return getFilter({ kinds: [1], '#e': [eventId], limit: 200 }) as Promise<SignedEvent<1>[]>;
 }
 
 export { getAncestors, getAuthor, getDescendants, getEvent, getFeed, getFollows, pool };
diff --git a/src/controllers/api/statuses.ts b/src/controllers/api/statuses.ts
index eda82342..88a4c7d5 100644
--- a/src/controllers/api/statuses.ts
+++ b/src/controllers/api/statuses.ts
@@ -42,14 +42,21 @@ const createStatusController = validator('json', async (value, c: AppContext) =>
   }
 });
 
+// https://stackoverflow.com/a/64820881/8811886
+function wait(ms: number) {
+  return new Promise((_, reject) => {
+    setTimeout(() => reject(new Error('timeout succeeded')), ms);
+  });
+}
+
 const contextController: AppController = async (c) => {
   const id = c.req.param('id');
 
   const event = await getEvent(id, 1);
 
   if (event) {
-    const ancestorEvents = await getAncestors(event);
-    const descendantEvents = await getDescendants(event.id);
+    const ancestorEvents = await Promise.race([wait(1000), getAncestors(event)]) as Event<1>[];
+    const descendantEvents = await Promise.race([wait(1000), getDescendants(event.id)]) as Event<1>[];
 
     return c.json({
       ancestors: (await Promise.all((ancestorEvents).map(toStatus))).filter(Boolean),