diff --git a/.github/workflows/get_context.yml b/.github/workflows/get_context.yml
index 7e82f59..2ebf795 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/get_context.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/get_context.yml
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
           path: artifacts
       - name: Get Directory structure
         run: ls -lR
-      - run: python find_posts.py --access-token=${{ secrets.ACCESS_TOKEN }} --server=${{ vars.MASTODON_SERVER }} --reply-interval-in-hours=${{ vars.REPLY_INTERVAL_IN_HOURS || 0 }} --home-timeline-length=${{ vars.HOME_TIMELINE_LENGTH || 0 }} --max-followings=${{ vars.MAX_FOLLOWINGS || 0 }} --user=${{ vars.USER }} --max-followers=${{ vars.MAX_FOLLOWERS || 0 }}
+      - run: python find_posts.py --access-token=${{ secrets.ACCESS_TOKEN }} --server=${{ vars.MASTODON_SERVER }} --reply-interval-in-hours=${{ vars.REPLY_INTERVAL_IN_HOURS || 0 }} --home-timeline-length=${{ vars.HOME_TIMELINE_LENGTH || 0 }} --max-followings=${{ vars.MAX_FOLLOWINGS || 0 }} --user=${{ vars.USER }} --max-followers=${{ vars.MAX_FOLLOWERS || 0 }}  --http-timeout=${{ vars.HTTP_TIMEOUT || 0 }}
       - name: Upload artifacts
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
         with:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 11d4c3d..4909358 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ Please see below for a list of configuration options.
 | `MAX_FOLLOWINGS` | `--max-followings` | No | Provide to backfill profiles for your most recent followings. Determines how many of your last followings you want to backfill. (An integer number, e.g. `80`. Ensure you also provide `USER`).
 | `MAX_FOLLOWERS` | `--max-followers` | No | Provide to backfill profiles for your most recent followings. Determines how many of your last followers you want to backfill. (An integer number, e.g. `80`. Ensure you also provide `USER`).
 | `USER` | `--user` | See Notes | Required together with `MAX_FOLLOWERS` or `MAX_FOLLOWINGS`: The username of the user whose followers or followings you want to backfill (e.g. `michael` for the user `@michael@thms.uk`).
+| `HTTP_TIMEOUT` | `--http-timeout` | No | The timeout for any HTTP requests to the Mastodon API in seconds. Defaults to `5`.
 
 ## Acknowledgments
 
diff --git a/find_posts.py b/find_posts.py
index 2fd55e6..6fe44c0 100644
--- a/find_posts.py
+++ b/find_posts.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ parser.add_argument('--home-timeline-length', required = False, type=int, defaul
 parser.add_argument('--user', required = False, default='', help="Use together with --max-followings or --max-followers to tell us which user's followings/followers we should backfill")
 parser.add_argument('--max-followings', required = False, type=int, default=0, help="Backfill posts for new accounts followed by --user. We'll backfill at most this many followings' posts")
 parser.add_argument('--max-followers', required = False, type=int, default=0, help="Backfill posts for new accounts following --user. We'll backfill at most this many followers' posts")
+parser.add_argument('--http-timeout', required = False, type=int, default=5, help="The timeout for any HTTP requests to your own, or other instances.")
 
 def pull_context(
     server,
@@ -587,11 +588,14 @@ def add_context_url(url, server, access_token):
         )
         return False
     
-def get(url, headers = {}, timeout = 5, max_tries = 5):
+def get(url, headers = {}, timeout = 0, max_tries = 5):
     """A simple wrapper to make a get request while providing our user agent, and respecting rate limits"""
     h = headers.copy()
     if 'User-Agent' not in h:
         h['User-Agent'] = 'mastodon_get_replies (https://go.thms.uk/mgr)'
+
+    if timeout == 0:
+        timeout = arguments.http_timeout
         
     response = requests.get( url, headers= h, timeout=timeout)
     if response.status_code == 429: