diff --git a/transcribe_website/transcriber_backend/src/telegram_downloader.py b/transcribe_website/transcriber_backend/src/telegram_downloader.py
index 868e77ab..9a487365 100644
--- a/transcribe_website/transcriber_backend/src/telegram_downloader.py
+++ b/transcribe_website/transcriber_backend/src/telegram_downloader.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 ffmpeg_sem = asyncio.Semaphore(value=SECRETS.parallel_ffmpeg_count)
 
 last_client_get_messages = time.time()
+get_messages_sem = asyncio.Semaphore(value=1)
 
 
 def update_file_ids_cache(channel_id: str, messages: list[Message], message_ids: list[int]) -> None:
@@ -216,23 +217,27 @@ async def download_one(worker_id: int | None = None) -> None:
             two_hundred_message_ids: list[int] = TelegramMessage.get_n_queued_by_channel(message.channel_id)
             if len(two_hundred_message_ids) > 200:
                 raise ValueError("The api does not allow more than 200 messages to be downloaded at once.")
-            try:
-                while time.time() - last_client_get_messages < 15:
-                    # Don't send too many requests at once, need to wait at least 15 seconds
-                    await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
-                last_client_get_messages = time.time()
-                # pyre-fixme[9]
-                up_to_date_messages: list[Message] = await DownloadWorker.client.get_messages(
-                    chat_id=message.channel_id,
-                    message_ids=two_hundred_message_ids,
-                    replies=0,
-                )
-            except UsernameNotOccupied:
-                # Error when trying to download from channel that is inaccessible
-                with orm.db_session():
-                    message = TelegramMessage[message.id]
-                    message.download_status = Status.ERROR_CHANNEL_INACCESSIBLE.name
-                return
+            # Don't send too many requests at once, need to wait at least 20 seconds
+            async with get_messages_sem:
+                try:
+                    while time.time() - last_client_get_messages < 20:
+                        await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
+                    last_client_get_messages = time.time()
+                    # pyre-fixme[9]
+                    up_to_date_messages: list[Message] = await DownloadWorker.client.get_messages(
+                        chat_id=message.channel_id,
+                        message_ids=two_hundred_message_ids,
+                        replies=0,
+                    )
+                    # TODO fix floodwait
+                    # pyrogram.errors.exceptions.flood_420.FloodWait
+                    # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/71773181/avoid-floodwait-in-python
+                except UsernameNotOccupied:
+                    # Error when trying to download from channel that is inaccessible
+                    with orm.db_session():
+                        message = TelegramMessage[message.id]
+                        message.download_status = Status.ERROR_CHANNEL_INACCESSIBLE.name
+                    return
             update_file_ids_cache(message.channel_id, up_to_date_messages, two_hundred_message_ids)
             file_id = get_from_file_ids_cache(message.channel_id, message.message_id)
             if file_id is None or file_id == "UNKNOWN":