diff --git a/src/client/dune b/src/client/dune
index 153744a8..11696169 100644
--- a/src/client/dune
+++ b/src/client/dune
@@ -2,5 +2,6 @@
 (library
   (name opentelemetry_client_ocurl)
   (public_name opentelemetry-client-ocurl)
-  (libraries opentelemetry curl ocaml-protoc threads mtime mtime.clock.os))
+  (libraries opentelemetry curl ocaml-protoc threads
+             atomic mtime mtime.clock.os))
 
diff --git a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
index a907735a..c3f61011 100644
--- a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
+++ b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.ml
@@ -29,25 +29,30 @@ module Config = struct
     url: string;
     batch_traces: int option;
     batch_metrics: int option;
+    batch_timeout_ms: int;
     thread: bool;
   }
 
   let pp out self =
     let ppiopt = Format.pp_print_option Format.pp_print_int in
-    let {debug; url; batch_traces; batch_metrics; thread} = self in
+    let {debug; url; batch_traces; batch_metrics;
+         batch_timeout_ms; thread} = self in
     Format.fprintf out "{@[ debug=%B;@ url=%S;@ \
-                        batch_traces=%a;@ batch_metrics=%a;@ thread=%B @]}"
+                        batch_traces=%a;@ batch_metrics=%a;@
+                        batch_timeout_ms=%d; thread=%B @]}"
       debug url ppiopt batch_traces ppiopt batch_metrics
-      thread
+      batch_timeout_ms thread
 
   let make
       ?(debug= !debug_)
       ?(url= get_url())
       ?(batch_traces=Some 400)
       ?(batch_metrics=None)
+      ?(batch_timeout_ms=500)
       ?(thread=true)
       () : t =
-    { debug; url; batch_traces; batch_metrics; thread; }
+    { debug; url; batch_traces; batch_metrics; batch_timeout_ms;
+      thread; }
 end
 
 (* critical section for [f()] *)
@@ -283,7 +288,9 @@ let mk_emitter ~(config:Config.t) () : (module EMITTER) =
 
   let encoder = Pbrt.Encoder.create() in
 
-  let emit_metrics (module C:CURL) (l:(Metrics.resource_metrics list*over_cb) list) =
+  let ((module C) as curl) = (module Curl() : CURL) in
+
+  let emit_metrics (l:(Metrics.resource_metrics list*over_cb) list) =
     Pbrt.Encoder.reset encoder;
     let resource_metrics =
       List.fold_left (fun acc (l,_) -> List.rev_append l acc) [] l in
@@ -302,7 +309,7 @@ let mk_emitter ~(config:Config.t) () : (module EMITTER) =
     List.iter (fun (_,over) -> over()) l;
   in
 
-  let emit_traces (module C: CURL) (l:(Trace.resource_spans list * over_cb) list) =
+  let emit_traces (l:(Trace.resource_spans list * over_cb) list) =
     Pbrt.Encoder.reset encoder;
     let resource_spans =
       List.fold_left (fun acc (l,_) -> List.rev_append l acc) [] l in
@@ -320,42 +327,49 @@ let mk_emitter ~(config:Config.t) () : (module EMITTER) =
     List.iter (fun (_,over) -> over()) l;
   in
 
+  let last_wakeup = Atomic.make (Mtime_clock.now()) in
+  let timeout = Mtime.Span.(config.batch_timeout_ms * ms) in
+  let batch_timeout() : bool =
+    let elapsed = Mtime.span (Mtime_clock.now()) (Atomic.get last_wakeup) in
+    Mtime.Span.compare elapsed timeout >= 0
+  in
+
+  let emit_metrics ?(force=false) () : bool =
+    if (force && not (E_metrics.is_empty())) ||
+        (not force && E_metrics.is_big_enough ()) then (
+      let batch = ref [] in
+      E_metrics.pop_iter_all (fun l -> batch := l :: !batch);
+      emit_metrics !batch;
+      Atomic.set last_wakeup (Mtime_clock.now());
+      true
+    ) else false
+  in
+  let emit_traces ?(force=false) () : bool =
+    if (force && not (E_trace.is_empty())) ||
+        (not force && E_trace.is_big_enough ()) then (
+      let batch = ref [] in
+      E_trace.pop_iter_all (fun l -> batch := l :: !batch);
+      emit_traces !batch;
+      Atomic.set last_wakeup (Mtime_clock.now());
+      true
+    ) else false
+  in
+
+  let emit_all_force () =
+    ignore (emit_traces ~force:true () : bool);
+    ignore (emit_metrics ~force:true () : bool);
+  in
+
   if config.thread then (
     begin
       let m = Mutex.create() in
       set_mutex ~lock:(fun () -> Mutex.lock m) ~unlock:(fun () -> Mutex.unlock m);
     end;
 
-    let module C = Curl() in
+    let ((module C) as curl) = (module Curl() : CURL) in
 
     let m = Mutex.create() in
     let cond = Condition.create() in
-    let last_wakeup = ref (Mtime_clock.now()) in
-
-    (* TODO: move this into config *)
-    let batch_timeout() : bool =
-      let elapsed = Mtime.span (Mtime_clock.now()) !last_wakeup in
-      Mtime.Span.compare elapsed Mtime.Span.(200 * ms) >= 0
-    in
-
-    let emit_metrics ?(force=false) () : bool =
-      if (force && not (E_metrics.is_empty())) ||
-          (not force && E_metrics.is_big_enough ()) then (
-        let batch = ref [] in
-        E_metrics.pop_iter_all (fun l -> batch := l :: !batch);
-        emit_metrics (module C) !batch;
-        true
-      ) else false
-    in
-    let emit_traces ?(force=false) () : bool =
-      if (force && not (E_trace.is_empty())) ||
-          (not force && E_trace.is_big_enough ()) then (
-        let batch = ref [] in
-        E_trace.pop_iter_all (fun l -> batch := l :: !batch);
-        emit_traces (module C) !batch;
-        true
-      ) else false
-    in
 
     let bg_thread () =
       while !continue do
@@ -376,7 +390,6 @@ let mk_emitter ~(config:Config.t) () : (module EMITTER) =
     let _: Thread.t = Thread.create bg_thread () in
 
     let wakeup () =
-      last_wakeup := Mtime_clock.now();
       with_mutex_ m (fun () -> Condition.signal cond);
       Thread.yield()
     in
@@ -398,7 +411,27 @@ let mk_emitter ~(config:Config.t) () : (module EMITTER) =
     end in
     (module M)
   ) else (
-    assert false
+
+    on_metrics_full (fun () ->
+        ignore (emit_metrics () : bool));
+    on_trace_full (fun () ->
+        ignore (emit_traces () : bool));
+
+    let cleanup () =
+      emit_all_force();
+      C.cleanup();
+    in
+
+    let module M = struct
+      let push_trace e ~over =
+        E_trace.push (e,over);
+        if batch_timeout() then emit_all_force()
+      let push_metrics e ~over =
+        E_metrics.push (e,over);
+        if batch_timeout() then emit_all_force()
+      let cleanup = cleanup
+    end in
+    (module M)
   )
 
 module Backend(Arg : sig val config : Config.t end)()
diff --git a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
index 7a631305..b8c9a902 100644
--- a/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
+++ b/src/client/opentelemetry_client_ocurl.mli
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ module Config : sig
         Default [None].
     *)
 
+    batch_timeout_ms: int;
+    (** Number of milliseconds after which we will emit a batch, even
+        incomplete.
+        Note that the batch might take longer than that, because this is
+        only checked when a new event occurs. Default 500. *)
+
     thread: bool;
     (** Is there a background thread? Default [true] *)
   }
@@ -46,6 +52,7 @@ module Config : sig
     ?debug:bool -> ?url:string ->
     ?batch_traces:int option ->
     ?batch_metrics:int option ->
+    ?batch_timeout_ms:int ->
     ?thread:bool ->
     unit -> t
   (** Make a configuration *)