diff --git a/swh/journal/client.py b/swh/journal/client.py
--- a/swh/journal/client.py
+++ b/swh/journal/client.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@
         ]),
         # Number of messages to batch process
         'max_messages': ('int', 100),
+        'consumer_timeout_ms': ('int', 5000),
         'auto_offset_reset': ('str', 'earliest')
     }
 
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@
                     'Option \'object_types\' only accepts %s.' %
                     ACCEPTED_OFFSET_RESET)
 
+        self.max_messages = self.config['max_messages']
+
         self.consumer = KafkaConsumer(
             bootstrap_servers=self.config['brokers'],
             key_deserializer=kafka_to_key,
@@ -90,6 +93,8 @@
             auto_offset_reset=auto_offset_reset,
             enable_auto_commit=False,
             group_id=self.config['consumer_id'],
+            max_poll_records=self.max_messages,
+            consumer_timeout_ms=self.config['consumer_timeout_ms'],
         )
 
         self.consumer.subscribe(
@@ -97,8 +102,6 @@
                     for object_type in object_types],
         )
 
-        self.max_messages = self.config['max_messages']
-
     def process(self):
         """Main entry point to process event message reception.
 
@@ -112,8 +115,9 @@
                 if num + 1 >= self.max_messages:
                     break
 
-            self.process_objects(messages)
-            self.consumer.commit()
+            if messages:
+                self.process_objects(messages)
+                self.consumer.commit()
 
     # Override the following method in the sub-classes