# witcheer's Wingtips #63: compression.context_timeout_seconds

Written by [witcheer](https://x.com/witcheer) at Nous Research. Republished with credit.

Canonical: https://hermeswatcher.com/wingtips/63  
Published: 2026-09-05  
[Original](https://notwitcheer.github.io/hermes-recipes/wingtips/63-compression-context-timeout-seconds/) · [On X](https://x.com/witcheer/status/2096128698147557524) · [Full collection](https://notwitcheer.github.io/hermes-recipes/) · [Official docs](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration#context-compression)

[Source Markdown](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/notwitcheer/hermes-recipes/8653fb699a137a32e81936fa33cabacd3f4f2095/docs/wingtips/63-compression-context-timeout-seconds.md): use this file as the base for relative links in the verbatim text below.

Sources: [Hermes docs: Configuration](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/configuration#context-compression)


Hermes Wingtips #63: `compression.context_timeout_seconds`

when a chat gets long, Hermes summarises the older messages to free up room. a separate model writes that summary in the background while your conversation keeps going.

but what if that summary model hangs? without a guard, your whole session would sit there waiting on it.

this setting is that guard. if the summary model goes quiet for 120 seconds, Hermes stops waiting: it tries one backup model, and if that fails too it skips the summary, keeps all your messages and tells you.

`hermes config set compression.context_timeout_seconds <seconds>`

the guard only counts silence. a model that is slow but still writing gets all the time it needs. raise the number if your summary model runs on slower hardware, or set 0 to switch the guard off.