diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
index 27fd07b3..512cedf6 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/abstract_user.py
@@ -711,6 +711,22 @@ class AbstractUser(ABC):
             self.log.debug("Ignoring relaybot-sent message %s to %s", update.id, portal.tgid_log)
             return
 
+        task = self._call_portal_message_handler(update, original_update, portal, sender)
+        if portal.backfill_lock.locked:
+            self.log.debug(
+                f"{portal.tgid_log} is backfill locked, moving incoming message to async task"
+            )
+            background_task.create(task)
+        else:
+            await task
+
+    async def _call_portal_message_handler(
+        self,
+        update: UpdateMessageContent,
+        original_update: UpdateMessage,
+        portal: po.Portal,
+        sender: pu.Puppet,
+    ) -> None:
         await portal.backfill_lock.wait(f"update {update.id}")
 
         if isinstance(update, MessageService):
diff --git a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
index e4996771..5a36e68c 100644
--- a/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
+++ b/mautrix_telegram/portal.py
@@ -2863,8 +2863,11 @@ class Portal(DBPortal, BasePortal):
         if limit == 0:
             return "Limit is zero, not backfilling"
         with self.backfill_lock:
-            output = await self.backfill(
-                source, client, forward=True, forward_limit=limit, last_tgid=last_tgid
+            output = await asyncio.wait_for(
+                self.backfill(
+                    source, client, forward=True, forward_limit=limit, last_tgid=last_tgid
+                ),
+                timeout=15 * 60,
             )
             self.log.debug(f"Forward backfill complete, status: {output}")
             return output
@@ -3129,9 +3132,16 @@ class Portal(DBPortal, BasePortal):
             anchor_id = 2**31 - 1
             minmax = {}
         self.log.debug(f"Iterating messages through {source.tgid} with {limit=}, {minmax}")
+        delay_warn_handle = self.loop.call_later(
+            5 * 60, lambda: self.log.warning("Iterating messages is taking long")
+        )
         # Iterate messages newest to oldest and collect the results
         async for msg in client.iter_messages(entity, limit=limit, **minmax):
             message_count += 1
+            if message_count == 1:
+                self.log.debug(f"Backfill iter: got first message {msg.id}")
+            elif message_count % 50 == 0:
+                self.log.debug(f"Backfill iter: got {message_count} messages so far (at {msg.id})")
             if (forward and msg.id <= anchor_id) or (not forward and msg.id >= anchor_id):
                 continue
             elif isinstance(msg, MessageService):
@@ -3156,6 +3166,7 @@ class Portal(DBPortal, BasePortal):
                 events.append(await self._wrap_batch_msg(intent, msg, converted, caption=True))
                 intents.append(intent)
                 metas.append(None)
+        delay_warn_handle.cancel()
         if len(events) == 0:
             self.log.debug(
                 f"Didn't get any events to send out of {message_count} messages fetched "