diff --git a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
index f0eee7ea3..fff5a9fcc 100644
--- a/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
+++ b/docs/CONFIGURATION.md
@@ -655,6 +655,15 @@ with a unique version number.
 **Allowed values:** `true`, `false`<br/>
 **More information:** https://docs.pact.io/versioning<br/>
 
+### pact_content_diff_timeout
+
+The maximum amount of time in seconds to attempt to generate the diff between two pacts before aborting the request. This is required due to performance issues in the underlying diff generation code.
+
+**Supported versions:** From 2.99.0<br/>
+**Environment variable name:** `PACT_BROKER_PACT_CONTENT_DIFF_TIMEOUT`<br/>
+**YAML configuration key name:** `pact_content_diff_timeout`<br/>
+**Default:** `15`<br/>
+
 <br/>
 
 ## Miscellaneous
diff --git a/docs/configuration.yml b/docs/configuration.yml
index 1824cd925..dbf93d63c 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.yml
+++ b/docs/configuration.yml
@@ -453,6 +453,11 @@ groups:
           - true
           - false
         more_info: https://docs.pact.io/versioning
+      pact_content_diff_timeout:
+        description: |-
+          The maximum amount of time in seconds to attempt to generate the diff between two pacts before aborting the request. This is required due to performance issues in the underlying diff generation code.
+        default_value: 15
+        supported_versions: From 2.99.0
   - title: Miscellaneous
     vars:
       features:
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff.rb b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff.rb
index acba7a548..fc82e55fe 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require "pact_broker/api/resources/base_resource"
 require "pact_broker/pacts/pact_params"
 require "pact_broker/pacts/diff"
+require "timeout"
 
 module PactBroker
   module Api
@@ -19,8 +20,12 @@ def resource_exists?
         end
 
         def to_text
-          output = PactBroker::Pacts::Diff.new.process pact_params.merge(base_url: base_url), comparison_pact_params, raw: false
-          response.body = output
+          Timeout::timeout(PactBroker.configuration.pact_content_diff_timeout) do
+            output = PactBroker::Pacts::Diff.new.process pact_params.merge(base_url: base_url), comparison_pact_params, raw: false
+            response.body = output
+          end
+        rescue Timeout::Error
+          408
         end
 
         def pact
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/config/runtime_configuration.rb b/lib/pact_broker/config/runtime_configuration.rb
index 2e1b03398..45d22ec3d 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/config/runtime_configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/config/runtime_configuration.rb
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ class RuntimeConfiguration < Anyway::Config
         badge_provider_mode: :redirect,
         enable_public_badge_access: false,
         shields_io_base_url: "https://img.shields.io",
-        use_case_sensitive_resource_names: true
+        use_case_sensitive_resource_names: true,
+        pact_content_diff_timeout: 15
       )
 
       # domain attributes
diff --git a/lib/pact_broker/pacts/create_formatted_diff.rb b/lib/pact_broker/pacts/create_formatted_diff.rb
index 684ec47b8..fdd029913 100644
--- a/lib/pact_broker/pacts/create_formatted_diff.rb
+++ b/lib/pact_broker/pacts/create_formatted_diff.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ def self.call pact_json_content, previous_pact_json_content, raw: false
         end
 
         difference = diff(previous_pact_hash, pact_hash)
+
         Pact::Matchers::UnixDiffFormatter.call(difference, colour: false, include_explanation: false)
       end
     end
diff --git a/spec/features/get_diff_spec.rb b/spec/features/get_diff_spec.rb
index e43779da8..ddd36a6b7 100644
--- a/spec/features/get_diff_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/features/get_diff_spec.rb
@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 require "spec/support/test_data_builder"
 
 describe "Get diff between versions" do
-
   let(:path) { "/pacts/provider/Provider/consumer/Consumer/version/3/diff/previous-distinct" }
-
   let(:last_response_body) { subject.body }
 
-  subject { get path; last_response }
+  subject { get(path) }
 
   let(:pact_content_version_1) do
     hash = load_json_fixture("consumer-provider.json")
@@ -42,12 +40,10 @@
   end
 
   context "when either version does not exist" do
-
     let(:path) { "/pacts/provider/Provider/consumer/Consumer/versions/1/diff/previous-distinct" }
 
     it "returns a 404 response" do
       expect(subject).to be_a_404_response
     end
-
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff_spec.rb b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..24d312c62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+require "pact_broker/api/resources/pact_content_diff"
+
+module PactBroker
+  module Api
+    module Resources
+      describe PactContentDiff do
+        include_context "stubbed services"
+
+        before do
+          allow(pact_service).to receive(:find_pact).and_return(pact)
+          allow(PactBroker::Pacts::Diff).to receive(:new).and_return(diff)
+        end
+
+        let(:pact) { double("pact") }
+        let(:diff) { instance_double("PactBroker::Pacts::Diff", process: diff_content) }
+        let(:diff_content) { "diff_content" }
+        let(:path) { "/pacts/provider/Provider/consumer/Consumer/version/3/diff/previous-distinct" }
+        let(:last_response_body) { subject.body }
+
+        subject { get(path) }
+
+        its(:status) { is_expected.to eq 200 }
+        its(:body) { is_expected.to eq "diff_content" }
+
+        context "when the diff takes too long to generate" do
+          before do
+            allow(diff).to receive(:process).and_raise(Timeout::Error)
+          end
+
+          its(:status) { is_expected.to eq 408 }
+          its(:body) { is_expected.to eq "" }
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end