diff --git a/activitypub.c b/activitypub.c
index fdccf1c..6c8c484 100644
--- a/activitypub.c
+++ b/activitypub.c
@@ -1430,8 +1430,8 @@ int process_input_message(snac *snac, xs_dict *msg, xs_dict *req)
     /* bring the actor */
     a_status = actor_request(snac, actor, &actor_o);
 
-    /* if the actor does not explicitly exist, discard */
-    if (a_status == 404 || a_status == 410) {
+    /* do not retry permanent failures */
+    if (a_status == 404 || a_status == 410 || a_status < 0) {
         snac_debug(snac, 1,
             xs_fmt("dropping message due to actor error %s %d", actor, a_status));
 
diff --git a/xs_curl.h b/xs_curl.h
index 9f9b63b..3caa8b1 100644
--- a/xs_curl.h
+++ b/xs_curl.h
@@ -169,8 +169,13 @@ xs_dict *xs_http_request(const char *method, const char *url,
     curl_slist_free_all(list);
 
     if (status != NULL) {
-        if (lstatus == 0)
-            lstatus = -cc;
+        if (lstatus == 0) {
+            /* set the timeout error to a fake HTTP status, or propagate as is */
+            if (cc == CURLE_OPERATION_TIMEDOUT)
+                lstatus = 599;
+            else
+                lstatus = -cc;
+        }
 
         *status = (int) lstatus;
     }
diff --git a/xs_version.h b/xs_version.h
index 7da6c06..1cc950c 100644
--- a/xs_version.h
+++ b/xs_version.h
@@ -1 +1 @@
-/* ac9fa6f1941aa3e701bbb1da50b4d5a07090eddb */
+/* 246a8bc9941850f68bf9034662a8a96bcd33926d */