diff --git a/lib/convertv2.js b/lib/convertv2.js
index 4b6c0dc..0e6235a 100644
--- a/lib/convertv2.js
+++ b/lib/convertv2.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ var timeAgo = require('timeago.js');
 var request = require('request-promise-native')
 
 // get JSON for an AP URL
+// TODO make it reject on HTTP 4xx or 5xx
 async function apGet(url) {
     return request.get( {
         uri:url,
@@ -17,8 +18,6 @@ async function apGet(url) {
     })
 }
 
-// accumulate a stream of XML into a html file
-
 module.exports = async function (opts) {
     var opts = opts;
 
@@ -30,16 +29,26 @@ module.exports = async function (opts) {
         throw new Error('need user URL');
     }
 
-    var user = await apGet(userUrl);
+    var user, feed;
 
-    if (userUrl && !feedUrl) {
-        isIndex = true;
-        var outbox = await apGet(user.outbox);
-        feedUrl = outbox.first;
+    // get user and feed in parallel if I have both URLs
+    if (userUrl && feedUrl){
+        [user, feed] = await Promise.all([ apGet(userUrl), apGet(feedUrl) ]);
+    }else{
+        // get user, then outbox, then feed
+    
+        user = await apGet(userUrl);
+
+        if (userUrl && !feedUrl) {
+            isIndex = true;
+            var outbox = await apGet(user.outbox);
+            feedUrl = outbox.first;
+        }
+
+        feed = await apGet(feedUrl);
 
     }
 
-    var feed = await apGet(feedUrl);
 
     var templateData = {
         opts: opts,// from the request