diff --git a/src/server/Master.ts b/src/server/Master.ts
index 5a1fe2778..f63edcc23 100644
--- a/src/server/Master.ts
+++ b/src/server/Master.ts
@@ -172,9 +172,12 @@ async function fetchLobbies(): Promise<number> {
   const fetchPromises = [];
 
   for (const gameID of publicLobbyIDs) {
+    const controller = new AbortController();
+    setTimeout(() => controller.abort(), 5000); // 5 second timeout
     const port = config.workerPort(gameID);
     const promise = fetch(`http://localhost:${port}/api/game/${gameID}`, {
       headers: { [config.adminHeader()]: config.adminToken() },
+      signal: controller.signal,
     })
       .then((resp) => resp.json())
       .then((json) => {
diff --git a/src/server/Worker.ts b/src/server/Worker.ts
index 04180e072..b8ca5ff1d 100644
--- a/src/server/Worker.ts
+++ b/src/server/Worker.ts
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ export function startWorker() {
       const game = gm.game(req.params.id);
       if (game == null) {
         log.info(`lobby ${req.params.id} not found`);
-        return res.status(404);
+        return res.status(404).json({ error: "Game not found" });
       }
       res.json(game.gameInfo());
     }),