diff --git a/src/utils/nostr.ts b/src/utils/nostr.ts
index aab520a..34f7d52 100644
--- a/src/utils/nostr.ts
+++ b/src/utils/nostr.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import store from '../store/store'
 import { Meta, SignedEvent, UserAppData } from '../types'
 import { getHash } from './hash'
 import { parseJson, removeLeadingSlash } from './string'
+import { timeout } from './utils'
 
 /**
  * @param hexKey hex private or public key
@@ -555,20 +556,28 @@ export const updateUsersAppData = async (meta: Meta) => {
   const relayMap = (store.getState().relays as RelaysState).map!
   const writeRelays = Object.keys(relayMap).filter((key) => relayMap[key].write)
 
-  const publishResult = await nostrController
-    .publishEvent(signedEvent, writeRelays)
-    .catch((errResults) => {
-      console.log('err :>> ', errResults)
-      toast.error('An error occurred while publishing App data')
-
-      errResults.forEach((errResult: any) => {
+  console.log(`publishing event kind: ${kinds.Application}`)
+  const publishResult = await Promise.race([
+    nostrController.publishEvent(signedEvent, writeRelays),
+    timeout(1000 * 60 * 2)
+  ]).catch((err) => {
+    console.log('err :>> ', err)
+    if (err.message === 'Timeout') {
+      toast.error('Timeout occurred in publishing updated app data')
+    } else if (Array.isArray(err)) {
+      err.forEach((errResult) => {
         toast.error(
           `Publishing to ${errResult.relay} caused the following error: ${errResult.error}`
         )
       })
+    } else {
+      toast.error(
+        'An unexpected error occurred in publishing updated app data '
+      )
+    }
 
-      return null
-    })
+    return null
+  })
 
   if (!publishResult) return null
 
@@ -666,6 +675,8 @@ const uploadUserAppDataToBlossom = async (
 }
 
 const getUserAppDataFromBlossom = async (url: string, privateKey: string) => {
+  let errorCode = 0
+
   const encrypted = await axios
     .get(url, {
       responseType: 'blob'
@@ -679,9 +690,21 @@ const getUserAppDataFromBlossom = async (url: string, privateKey: string) => {
       console.error(`error occurred in getting file from ${url}`, err)
       toast.error(err.message || `error occurred in getting file from ${url}`)
 
+      if (err.request) {
+        const { status } = err.request
+        errorCode = status
+      }
+
       return null
     })
 
+  if (errorCode === 404) {
+    return {
+      sigits: {},
+      processedGiftWraps: []
+    }
+  }
+
   if (!encrypted) return null
 
   const secret = hexToBytes(privateKey)
@@ -818,15 +841,18 @@ export const sendNotification = async (receiver: string, meta: Meta) => {
   // Ensure relay list is not empty
   if (relaySet.read.length === 0) return
 
+  console.log('Publishing notifications')
   // Publish the notification event to the recipient's read relays
   const nostrController = NostrController.getInstance()
-  await nostrController
-    .publishEvent(wrappedEvent, relaySet.read)
-    .catch((errResults) => {
-      console.log(
-        `An error occurred while publishing notification event for ${hexToNpub(receiver)}`,
-        errResults
-      )
-      throw errResults
-    })
+
+  await Promise.race([
+    nostrController.publishEvent(wrappedEvent, relaySet.read),
+    timeout(1000 * 60 * 2)
+  ]).catch((err) => {
+    console.log(
+      `An error occurred while publishing notification event for ${hexToNpub(receiver)}`,
+      err
+    )
+    throw err
+  })
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/utils.ts b/src/utils/utils.ts
index fc5ade3..929af78 100644
--- a/src/utils/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils/utils.ts
@@ -49,3 +49,18 @@ export const isOnline = async () => {
     return false // If an error occurs, return false
   }
 }
+
+/**
+ * Creates a promise that rejects with a timeout error after a specified duration.
+ * @param ms The duration in milliseconds after which the promise should reject. Defaults to 60000 milliseconds (1 minute).
+ * @returns A promise that rejects with an Error('Timeout') after the specified duration.
+ */
+export const timeout = (ms: number = 60000) => {
+  return new Promise<never>((_, reject) => {
+    // Set a timeout using setTimeout
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      // Reject the promise with an Error indicating a timeout
+      reject(new Error('Timeout'))
+    }, ms) // Timeout duration in milliseconds
+  })
+}