diff --git a/src/mailman3-sql.scm b/src/mailman3-sql.scm
index a9a0fc8..741ec23 100644
--- a/src/mailman3-sql.scm
+++ b/src/mailman3-sql.scm
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@
  ;; Returns (possibly cached) SQLite3 DB handle
  (define (mailman3-db)
    (when (not (*cached-mailman3-db*))
-     (*cached-mailman3-db* (open-database (*mailman3-sql-path*))))
+     (*cached-mailman3-db*
+      (let ((handler (make-busy-timeout 2000)))
+	(let ((db (open-database (*mailman3-sql-path*))))
+	  (set-busy-handler! db handler)
+	  db))))
    (*cached-mailman3-db*))
 
  ;; Returns the list of mailman3 mailinglists by querying te