diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index d1ad2a0..d19cfd4 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -35,6 +35,12 @@ tested.
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-11-02: working out the home page's cards no longer stops the prefix
+  handler. The walk over the routing table holds the table's lock for 10,000
+  prefixes at a time, then lets the lock go for as long again, as `PeerDown`
+  does. It used to take the lock back at once. The prefix handler then applied
+  about one update per 10,000 prefixes walked. During a walk, its queue could
+  fill, and the streamer then dropped updates for it (closes #226)
 - 2026-11-02: like a failed WHOIS lookup, a lookup skipped because its RIR is
   paused makes the fetcher wait longer before the next lookup. The longest wait
   is one minute. The status page does not count a skip as a failure. A skip used
diff --git a/internal/routetable/overview.go b/internal/routetable/overview.go
index 3b5bbca..d816970 100644
--- a/internal/routetable/overview.go
+++ b/internal/routetable/overview.go
@@ -79,8 +79,9 @@ type OriginPeers struct {
 
 // Overview works out the table's overview. It lists at most maxListed bogon
 // announcements and at most maxListed prefixes with more than one origin AS:
-// the first in prefix order. It walks over every prefix, but holds the read
-// lock for walkBatch prefixes at a time.
+// the first in prefix order. It visits every prefix in the table, in batches
+// of walkBatch. After each batch, it lets the table's lock go for as long as
+// it held the lock for the batch.
 func (t *Table) Overview(maxListed int) Overview {
 	var overview Overview
 
@@ -110,15 +111,18 @@ func (t *Table) Overview(maxListed int) Overview {
 }
 
 // walkPrefixes calls visit with every prefix of the table and its origins. It
-// holds the read lock, but lets it go after every walkBatch prefixes, so the
-// updates waiting for it get in. A prefix that is added or removed in such a
-// gap may or may not be visited, as Go allows for a map that changes during a
-// range over it. visit must not keep origins once it returns.
+// holds the read lock for walkBatch prefixes at a time. After each batch, it
+// lets the table's lock go for as long as it held the lock for the batch.
+// During a walk over many batches, updates can then take the lock about half
+// of the time. The walk may or may not visit a prefix that is added or removed
+// while the lock is let go. Go allows this in a range over a map that changes.
+// visit must not keep origins once it returns.
 func (t *Table) walkPrefixes(visit func(prefix netip.Prefix, origins []*origin)) {
 	t.mu.RLock()
 	defer t.mu.RUnlock()
 
 	visited := 0
+	batchStart := time.Now()
 
 	for _, f := range []*family{&t.ipv4, &t.ipv6} {
 		for _, prefixes := range f.byLength {
@@ -127,8 +131,13 @@ func (t *Table) walkPrefixes(visit func(prefix netip.Prefix, origins []*origin))
 
 				visited++
 				if visited%walkBatch == 0 {
+					held := time.Since(batchStart)
+
 					t.mu.RUnlock()
+					time.Sleep(held)
 					t.mu.RLock()
+
+					batchStart = time.Now()
 				}
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/internal/routetable/overview_internal_test.go b/internal/routetable/overview_internal_test.go
index 7ace291..4943411 100644
--- a/internal/routetable/overview_internal_test.go
+++ b/internal/routetable/overview_internal_test.go
@@ -131,3 +131,61 @@ func TestWalkPrefixesLetsUpdatesIn(t *testing.T) {
 			"before its second batch")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestOverviewLetsUpdatesIn applies another peer's 1,000 announcements while
+// Overview walks a table with more prefixes than five of the walk's batches.
+// After each batch, the walk lets the lock go for as long as it held the lock.
+// So all 1,000 announcements must be applied before Overview returns. A walk
+// that takes the lock back at once lets in about one update per batch.
+func TestOverviewLetsUpdatesIn(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const (
+		asn       = 1000
+		peer      = "192.0.2.1"
+		otherPeer = "192.0.2.2"
+		// prefixCount is more prefixes than five of the walk's batches.
+		prefixCount   = 5*walkBatch + 1
+		announcements = 1000
+	)
+
+	routeTime := time.Date(2026, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 0, time.UTC)
+	table := New(Params{})
+	prefixes := make([]netip.Prefix, 0, prefixCount)
+	addr := netip.MustParseAddr("1.0.0.0")
+
+	for range prefixCount {
+		prefix := netip.PrefixFrom(addr, addr.BitLen())
+		table.Announce(prefix, asn, Route{Peer: peer, Time: routeTime})
+		prefixes = append(prefixes, prefix)
+		addr = addr.Next()
+	}
+
+	overviewDone := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		defer close(overviewDone)
+
+		table.Overview(0)
+	}()
+
+	// Wait until Overview holds the read lock. TryLock fails while a reader
+	// holds it.
+	for table.mu.TryLock() {
+		table.mu.Unlock()
+		runtime.Gosched()
+	}
+
+	for _, prefix := range prefixes[:announcements] {
+		table.Announce(prefix, asn, Route{Peer: otherPeer, Time: routeTime})
+	}
+
+	select {
+	case <-overviewDone:
+		t.Fatal("Overview returned before another peer's 1,000 announcements " +
+			"were applied")
+	default:
+	}
+
+	<-overviewDone
+}