diff --git a/data.c b/data.c
index bc9f979..82f36a4 100644
--- a/data.c
+++ b/data.c
@@ -2491,25 +2491,28 @@ void notify_clear(snac *snac)
 /** searches **/
 
 xs_list *search_by_content(snac *user, const xs_list *timeline,
-                            const char *regex, int timeout)
+                            const char *regex, int max_secs, int *timeout)
 /* returns a list of posts which content matches the regex */
 {
     xs_list *r = xs_list_new();
 
-    if (timeout == 0)
-        timeout = 3;
+    if (max_secs == 0)
+        max_secs = 3;
 
     int c = 0;
     char *v;
 
-    time_t t = time(NULL) + timeout;
+    time_t t = time(NULL) + max_secs;
+    *timeout = 0;
 
     while (xs_list_next(timeline, &v, &c)) {
         xs *post = NULL;
 
         /* timeout? */
-        if (time(NULL) > t)
+        if (time(NULL) > t) {
+            *timeout = 1;
             break;
+        }
 
         int status;
 
diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index 2e1a77c..9244b5a 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -377,9 +377,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     if (strcmp(cmd, "search") == 0) { /** **/
         xs *tl = timeline_simple_list(&snac, "private", 0, XS_ALL);
+        int to;
 
         /* 'url' contains the regex */
-        xs *r = search_by_content(&snac, tl, url, 10);
+        xs *r = search_by_content(&snac, tl, url, 10, &to);
 
         int c = 0;
         char *v;
diff --git a/snac.h b/snac.h
index ae8fc59..7f069ab 100644
--- a/snac.h
+++ b/snac.h
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ xs_val *list_content(snac *user, const char *list_id, const char *actor_md5, int
 void list_distribute(snac *user, const char *who, const xs_dict *post);
 
 xs_list *search_by_content(snac *user, const xs_list *timeline,
-                            const char *regex, int timeout);
+                            const char *regex, int max_secs, int *timeout);
 
 int actor_add(const char *actor, xs_dict *msg);
 int actor_get(const char *actor, xs_dict **data);