diff --git a/frontend/src/ts/ape/adapters/ts-rest-adapter.ts b/frontend/src/ts/ape/adapters/ts-rest-adapter.ts
index 9acccd400..ded38548e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/ts/ape/adapters/ts-rest-adapter.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/ts/ape/adapters/ts-rest-adapter.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,12 @@ import { envConfig } from "../../constants/env-config";
 import { getAuthenticatedUser, isAuthenticated } from "../../firebase";
 import { EndpointMetadata } from "@monkeytype/contracts/schemas/api";
 
+function timeoutSignal(ms: number): AbortSignal {
+  const ctrl = new AbortController();
+  setTimeout(() => ctrl.abort(new Error("request timed out")), ms);
+  return ctrl.signal;
+}
+
 function buildApi(timeout: number): (args: ApiFetcherArgs) => Promise<{
   status: number;
   body: unknown;
@@ -27,12 +33,22 @@ function buildApi(timeout: number): (args: ApiFetcherArgs) => Promise<{
 
         headers["Authorization"] = `Bearer ${token}`;
       }
-      const response = await fetch(request.path, {
-        signal: AbortSignal?.timeout?.(timeout),
+
+      const fetchOptions: RequestInit = {
         method: request.method as Method,
         headers,
         body: request.body,
+      };
+
+      const usePolyfill = AbortSignal?.timeout === undefined;
+
+      const response = await fetch(request.path, {
+        ...fetchOptions,
+        signal: usePolyfill
+          ? timeoutSignal(timeout)
+          : AbortSignal.timeout(timeout),
       });
+
       const body = await response.json();
       if (response.status >= 400) {
         console.error(`${request.method} ${request.path} failed`, {
@@ -47,9 +63,19 @@ function buildApi(timeout: number): (args: ApiFetcherArgs) => Promise<{
         headers: response.headers ?? new Headers(),
       };
     } catch (e: Error | unknown) {
+      let message = "Unknown error";
+
+      if (e instanceof Error) {
+        if (e.message.includes("timed out")) {
+          message = "request took too long to complete";
+        } else {
+          message = e.message;
+        }
+      }
+
       return {
         status: 500,
-        body: { message: e },
+        body: { message },
         headers: new Headers(),
       };
     }