diff --git a/download_commons_contributions.py b/download_commons_contributions.py
index 1753552..a2dea6e 100755
--- a/download_commons_contributions.py
+++ b/download_commons_contributions.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ from flickr_mail.models import Contribution
 
 API_URL = "https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/api.php"
 USERNAME = "Edward"
+CONSECUTIVE_KNOWN_BATCHES_TO_STOP = 3
 
 # Identify ourselves properly to Wikimedia
 USER_AGENT = "CommonsContributionsDownloader/0.1 (edward@4angle.com)"
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         batch_num = 0
         new_count = 0
         continue_token = None
+        consecutive_known_batches = 0
 
         while True:
             batch_num += 1
@@ -130,7 +132,18 @@ def main() -> None:
             session.commit()
 
             if batch_new == 0:
-                # All contributions in this batch already exist, we're caught up
+                consecutive_known_batches += 1
+                print(
+                    "  Batch fully known "
+                    f"({consecutive_known_batches}/"
+                    f"{CONSECUTIVE_KNOWN_BATCHES_TO_STOP})"
+                )
+            else:
+                consecutive_known_batches = 0
+
+            if consecutive_known_batches >= CONSECUTIVE_KNOWN_BATCHES_TO_STOP:
+                # Stop after a small overlap window of known-only batches.
+                # This catches recent historical gaps without full-history scans.
                 print("  Caught up with existing data")
                 break