diff --git a/lib/mastodon/helpers/interactions.js b/lib/mastodon/helpers/interactions.js
index 3072b02..f8b702c 100644
--- a/lib/mastodon/helpers/interactions.js
+++ b/lib/mastodon/helpers/interactions.js
@@ -30,7 +30,15 @@ export async function likePost({ targetUrl, federation, handle, publicationUrl,
   );
 
   const documentLoader = await ctx.getDocumentLoader({ identifier: handle });
-  const recipient = await resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections);
+  // resolveAuthor makes up to 3 signed HTTP requests to the remote server.
+  // Cap at 5 s so a slow/unreachable remote never blocks the client response.
+  let recipient = null;
+  try {
+    recipient = await Promise.race([
+      resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections),
+      new Promise((_, reject) => setTimeout(() => reject(new Error("resolveAuthor timeout")), 5000)),
+    ]);
+  } catch { /* skip AP delivery — interaction is still recorded locally */ }
 
   const uuid = crypto.randomUUID();
   const baseUrl = publicationUrl.replace(/\/$/, "");
@@ -95,7 +103,13 @@ export async function unlikePost({ targetUrl, federation, handle, publicationUrl
   );
 
   const documentLoader = await ctx.getDocumentLoader({ identifier: handle });
-  const recipient = await resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections);
+  let recipient = null;
+  try {
+    recipient = await Promise.race([
+      resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections),
+      new Promise((_, reject) => setTimeout(() => reject(new Error("resolveAuthor timeout")), 5000)),
+    ]);
+  } catch { /* skip AP delivery */ }
 
   if (recipient) {
     const like = new Like({
@@ -160,9 +174,15 @@ export async function boostPost({ targetUrl, federation, handle, publicationUrl,
     orderingKey: targetUrl,
   });
 
-  // Also send directly to the original post author
+  // Also send directly to the original post author (best-effort, 5 s cap)
   const documentLoader = await ctx.getDocumentLoader({ identifier: handle });
-  const recipient = await resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections);
+  let recipient = null;
+  try {
+    recipient = await Promise.race([
+      resolveAuthor(targetUrl, ctx, documentLoader, collections),
+      new Promise((_, reject) => setTimeout(() => reject(new Error("resolveAuthor timeout")), 5000)),
+    ]);
+  } catch { /* skip author delivery — follower delivery already happened */ }
   if (recipient) {
     try {
       await ctx.sendActivity({ identifier: handle }, recipient, announce, {