diff --git a/crates/routes/src/images.rs b/crates/routes/src/images.rs
index 5dcb1b9dd..edd8fc8d4 100644
--- a/crates/routes/src/images.rs
+++ b/crates/routes/src/images.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use actix_web::{
   HttpResponse,
 };
 use futures::stream::{Stream, StreamExt};
-use lemmy_utils::{claims::Claims, rate_limit::RateLimit};
+use lemmy_utils::{claims::Claims, rate_limit::RateLimit, REQWEST_TIMEOUT};
 use lemmy_websocket::LemmyContext;
 use reqwest::Body;
 use reqwest_middleware::{ClientWithMiddleware, RequestBuilder};
@@ -65,7 +65,9 @@ fn adapt_request(
   // remove accept-encoding header so that pictrs doesnt compress the response
   const INVALID_HEADERS: &[HeaderName] = &[ACCEPT_ENCODING, HOST];
 
-  let client_request = client.request(request.method().clone(), url);
+  let client_request = client
+    .request(request.method().clone(), url)
+    .timeout(REQWEST_TIMEOUT);
 
   request
     .headers()
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 7f5946f5d..3fbd0c656 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), LemmyError> {
     settings.bind, settings.port
   );
 
-  let client = Client::builder()
+  let reqwest_client = Client::builder()
     .user_agent(build_user_agent(&settings))
     .timeout(REQWEST_TIMEOUT)
     .build()?;
@@ -111,11 +111,16 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), LemmyError> {
     backoff_exponent: 2,
   };
 
-  let client = ClientBuilder::new(client)
+  let client = ClientBuilder::new(reqwest_client.clone())
     .with(TracingMiddleware)
     .with(RetryTransientMiddleware::new_with_policy(retry_policy))
     .build();
 
+  // Pictrs cannot use the retry middleware
+  let pictrs_client = ClientBuilder::new(reqwest_client.clone())
+    .with(TracingMiddleware)
+    .build();
+
   check_private_instance_and_federation_enabled(&pool, &settings).await?;
 
   let chat_server = ChatServer::startup(
@@ -149,7 +154,7 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), LemmyError> {
       .configure(|cfg| api_routes::config(cfg, &rate_limiter))
       .configure(|cfg| lemmy_apub::http::routes::config(cfg, &settings))
       .configure(feeds::config)
-      .configure(|cfg| images::config(cfg, client.clone(), &rate_limiter))
+      .configure(|cfg| images::config(cfg, pictrs_client.clone(), &rate_limiter))
       .configure(nodeinfo::config)
       .configure(|cfg| webfinger::config(cfg, &settings))
   })