diff --git a/src/libstore/download.cc b/src/libstore/download.cc
index f44f1836b..7773d9032 100644
--- a/src/libstore/download.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/download.cc
@@ -528,10 +528,11 @@ struct CurlDownloader : public Downloader
             extraFDs[0].fd = wakeupPipe.readSide.get();
             extraFDs[0].events = CURL_WAIT_POLLIN;
             extraFDs[0].revents = 0;
+            long maxSleepTimeMs = items.empty() ? 10000 : 100;
             auto sleepTimeMs =
                 nextWakeup != std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point()
                 ? std::max(0, (int) std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::milliseconds>(nextWakeup - std::chrono::steady_clock::now()).count())
-                : 10000;
+                : maxSleepTimeMs;
             vomit("download thread waiting for %d ms", sleepTimeMs);
             mc = curl_multi_wait(curlm, extraFDs, 1, sleepTimeMs, &numfds);
             if (mc != CURLM_OK)