diff --git a/lib/encryption/ssss.dart b/lib/encryption/ssss.dart
index a27bf928..2e16154b 100644
--- a/lib/encryption/ssss.dart
+++ b/lib/encryption/ssss.dart
@@ -213,11 +213,13 @@ class SSSS {
       content.passphrase.iterations = PBKDF2_DEFAULT_ITERATIONS;
       content.passphrase.bits = SSSS_KEY_LENGTH * 8;
       privateKey = await runInBackground(
-          _keyFromPassphrase,
-          _KeyFromPassphraseArgs(
-            passphrase: passphrase,
-            info: content.passphrase,
-          ));
+        _keyFromPassphrase,
+        _KeyFromPassphraseArgs(
+          passphrase: passphrase,
+          info: content.passphrase,
+        ),
+        timeout: Duration(seconds: 10),
+      );
     } else {
       // we need to just generate a new key from scratch
       privateKey = Uint8List.fromList(SecureRandom(SSSS_KEY_LENGTH).bytes);
@@ -648,11 +650,13 @@ class OpenSSSS {
             'Tried to unlock with passphrase while key does not have a passphrase');
       }
       privateKey = await runInBackground(
-          _keyFromPassphrase,
-          _KeyFromPassphraseArgs(
-            passphrase: passphrase,
-            info: keyData.passphrase,
-          ));
+        _keyFromPassphrase,
+        _KeyFromPassphraseArgs(
+          passphrase: passphrase,
+          info: keyData.passphrase,
+        ),
+        timeout: Duration(seconds: 10),
+      );
     } else if (recoveryKey != null) {
       privateKey = SSSS.decodeRecoveryKey(recoveryKey);
     } else {
diff --git a/lib/src/utils/run_in_background.dart b/lib/src/utils/run_in_background.dart
index 728a805f..a985312f 100644
--- a/lib/src/utils/run_in_background.dart
+++ b/lib/src/utils/run_in_background.dart
@@ -16,11 +16,16 @@
  *   along with this program.  If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+import 'package:famedlysdk/famedlysdk.dart';
 import 'package:isolate/isolate.dart';
 import 'dart:async';
 
 Future<T> runInBackground<T, U>(
-    FutureOr<T> Function(U arg) function, U arg) async {
+  FutureOr<T> Function(U arg) function,
+  U arg, {
+  Duration timeout,
+  dynamic Function() onTimeout,
+}) async {
   IsolateRunner isolate;
   try {
     isolate = await IsolateRunner.spawn();
@@ -28,9 +33,17 @@ Future<T> runInBackground<T, U>(
     // web does not support isolates (yet), so we fall back to calling the method directly
     return await function(arg);
   }
+  final sub = isolate.errors
+      .listen((error) => Logs().e('Error caught in isolate', error));
   try {
-    return await isolate.run(function, arg);
+    return await isolate.run(
+      function,
+      arg,
+      timeout: timeout,
+      onTimeout: onTimeout,
+    );
   } finally {
+    await sub.cancel();
     await isolate.close();
   }
 }