diff --git a/app_urls/fetcher/src/fetch_utils_url_processor.py b/app_urls/fetcher/src/fetch_utils_url_processor.py
index 838c850..0fef5a3 100644
--- a/app_urls/fetcher/src/fetch_utils_url_processor.py
+++ b/app_urls/fetcher/src/fetch_utils_url_processor.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ def process_url(url, paywall_bypass=False):
 
         # Try simple request, valid response but couldn't parse article? e.g. getting blocked? -> unknown
         time.sleep(0.25)
-        r = requests.get(url_of_interest)
+        r = requests.get(url_of_interest, timeout=15)
         if (r.status_code == 200):
             return {"override_status": "unknown"}
         else: