diff --git a/runner/src/redis-client/redis-client.ts b/runner/src/redis-client/redis-client.ts
index 9caa66226..282dd13f4 100644
--- a/runner/src/redis-client/redis-client.ts
+++ b/runner/src/redis-client/redis-client.ts
@@ -45,10 +45,11 @@ export default class RedisClient {
 
   async getNextStreamMessage (
     streamKey: string,
+    BLOCK?: number
   ): Promise<StreamMessage[] | null> {
     const results = await this.client.xRead(
       { key: streamKey, id: this.SMALLEST_STREAM_ID },
-      { COUNT: 1 }
+      { COUNT: 1, BLOCK }
     );
 
     return results?.[0].messages as StreamMessage[];
diff --git a/runner/src/stream-handler.ts b/runner/src/stream-handler.ts
index 00a89c588..61f36a92b 100644
--- a/runner/src/stream-handler.ts
+++ b/runner/src/stream-handler.ts
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ export default class StreamHandler {
 }
 
 if (!isMainThread) {
-  const sleep = async (ms: number): Promise<void> => { await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, ms)); };
-
-  const STREAM_THROTTLE = 1000;
+  const STREAM_READ_BLOCK_MS = 5000;
 
   void (async function main () {
     const indexer = new Indexer('mainnet');
@@ -51,21 +49,21 @@ if (!isMainThread) {
 
     while (true) {
       try {
-        const startTime = performance.now();
         const streamType = redisClient.getStreamType(streamKey);
 
-        const messages = await redisClient.getNextStreamMessage(streamKey);
+        const messages = await redisClient.getNextStreamMessage(streamKey, STREAM_READ_BLOCK_MS);
         const indexerConfig = await redisClient.getStreamStorage(streamKey);
 
         indexerName = `${indexerConfig.account_id}/${indexerConfig.function_name}`;
 
         if (messages == null) {
-          await sleep(STREAM_THROTTLE);
           continue;
         }
 
         const [{ id, message }] = messages;
 
+        const startTime = performance.now();
+
         const functions = {
           [indexerName]: {
             account_id: indexerConfig.account_id,
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ if (!isMainThread) {
 
         console.log(`Success: ${indexerName}`);
       } catch (err) {
-        await sleep(STREAM_THROTTLE);
         console.log(`Failed: ${indexerName}`, err);
       }
     }