diff --git a/config.sample.yaml b/config.sample.yaml
index d50a160..48afec8 100644
--- a/config.sample.yaml
+++ b/config.sample.yaml
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ openai:
 
   model: gpt-3.5-turbo
 
+  # If the API doesn't generate a response within 5 seconds, the request is re-sent.
+  # This controls how many times a retry is preformed.
+  api_retries: 3
+
   # Leave at 0 for fully deterministic output.
   # Range is 0 to 2
   # https://platform.openai.com/docs/api-reference/completions/create#completions/create-temperature
diff --git a/matrix_gpt/bot/callbacks.py b/matrix_gpt/bot/callbacks.py
index 1918ff2..86f71b8 100644
--- a/matrix_gpt/bot/callbacks.py
+++ b/matrix_gpt/bot/callbacks.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class Callbacks:
         # Extract the message text
         msg = event.body.strip().strip('\n')
 
-        logger.debug(f"Bot message received for room {room.display_name} | {room.user_name(event.sender)}: {msg}")
+        logger.debug(f"Bot message received from {event.sender} in {room} --> {msg}")
 
         await self.client.room_read_markers(room.room_id, event.event_id, event.event_id)
 
diff --git a/matrix_gpt/bot/chat_functions.py b/matrix_gpt/bot/chat_functions.py
index 323be34..694bd82 100644
--- a/matrix_gpt/bot/chat_functions.py
+++ b/matrix_gpt/bot/chat_functions.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import logging
 from types import ModuleType
 from typing import List, Optional, Union
 
+import stopit
 from markdown import markdown
 from nio import (AsyncClient, ErrorResponse, Event, MatrixRoom, MegolmEvent, Response, RoomMessageText, RoomSendResponse, SendRetryError, )
 
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ async def get_thread_content(client: AsyncClient, room: MatrixRoom, base_event:
     return messages
 
 
-async def process_chat(client, room, event, command, store, openai_obj: ModuleType, openai_model: str, thread_root_id: str = None, system_prompt: str = None, log_full_response: bool = False, injected_system_prompt: str = False):
+async def process_chat(client, room, event, command, store, openai_obj: ModuleType, openai_model: str, openai_retries: int = 3, thread_root_id: str = None, system_prompt: str = None, log_full_response: bool = False, injected_system_prompt: str = False):
     if not store.check_seen_event(event.event_id):
         await client.room_typing(room.room_id, typing_state=True, timeout=3000)
         # if self.reply_in_thread:
@@ -155,12 +156,25 @@ async def process_chat(client, room, event, command, store, openai_obj: ModuleTy
                 messages.insert(index, {"role": "system", "content": injected_system_prompt})
 
         logger.debug(f'Generating reply to event {event.event_id}')
-        response = openai_obj.ChatCompletion.create(model=openai_model, messages=messages, temperature=0, timeout=10)
-        text_response = response["choices"][0]["message"]["content"].strip().strip('\n')
+
+        @stopit.threading_timeoutable(default=(None, None))
+        def generate():
+            response = openai_obj.ChatCompletion.create(model=openai_model, messages=messages, temperature=0, timeout=10)
+            return response["choices"][0]["message"]["content"].strip().strip('\n'), response
+
+        text_response = response = None
+        for i in range(openai_retries):
+            text_response, response = generate(timeout=5)
+            if text_response is not None:
+                break
+        if text_response is None:
+            logger.critical(f'OpenAI API timeout for event {event.event_id} in room {room.room_id}.')
+            await react_to_event(client, room.room_id, event.event_id, '❌')
+            return
 
         # Logging stuff
         if log_full_response:
-            logger.debug({'event_id': event.event_id, 'room': room.room_id, 'messages': messages, 'response': text_response})
+            logger.debug({'event_id': event.event_id, 'room': room.room_id, 'messages': messages, 'response': response})
         z = text_response.replace("\n", "\\n")
         if isinstance(command, str):
             x = command.replace("\n", "\\n")
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 37627d4..04ce683 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ matrix-nio[e2e]
 pyyaml
 markdown
 python-olm
-openai
\ No newline at end of file
+openai
+stopit
\ No newline at end of file