diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/isbndb.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/isbndb.py
index 9169227326..1c5f706593 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/isbndb.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/metadata/isbndb.py
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@
 class ISBNDBError(Exception):
     pass
 
-def fetch_metadata(url, max=100, timeout=5.):
+def fetch_metadata(url, max=3, timeout=5.):
     books = []
     page_number = 1
-    total_results = sys.maxint
+    total_results = 31
     br = browser()
     while len(books) < total_results and max > 0:
         try: