diff --git a/python/client.py b/python/client.py
index 97bc8af1..66cf349c 100644
--- a/python/client.py
+++ b/python/client.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+from datetime import datetime
 from typing import Optional
 import os
 import json
@@ -87,33 +88,54 @@ def block(self, delay=0.005, base=2, max_attempts=16):
                     raise StopIteration
             return meta
 
-        def listen(self):
-            """
-            Listens to server side events on the status of a request.
+        def listen(self, timeout: Optional[float] = 300):
             """
+            Listens to server-side events on the status of a request.
 
+            Yields:
+                dict[str, Any]: Parsed JSON messages from the event stream.
+            """
             url = self.server.base + f"/status_stream/{quote(self.status_loc)}"
+            with EventSource(url, timeout=timeout) as event_source:
+                for event in event_source:
+                    if event.data:
+                        msg = json.loads(event.data)
+                        yield msg
+
+            print("event stream closed")
 
-            def on_error():
-                raise Exception("error")
+        def listen_until_clear(self, timeout: Optional[float] = 300):
+            """
+            Listens to server side events until a 'pathClear' status is received.
 
-            with EventSource(
-                url,
-                timeout=30,
-                on_error=on_error,
-            ) as event_source:
-                try:
-                    print("listening...")
-                    for event in event_source:
-                        if event.data:
-                            msg = json.loads(event.data)
-                            print("msg: ", msg)
-                            if msg['status'] == "pathClear":
-                                return
+            Args:
+                timeout (float): The maximum amount of time to listen.
 
-                except Exception as e:
-                    print("error: ", e)
+            Returns:
+                metadata: Any
 
+            Raises:
+                TimeoutError: If the timeout is reached before the path is clear.
+            """
+            start_time = monotonic()
+            
+            try:
+                for msg in self.listen(timeout=timeout):
+                    if timeout and (monotonic() - start_time) > timeout:
+                        raise TimeoutError(f"listen_until_clear timed out after {timeout} seconds")
+
+                    status = msg.get("status")
+                    if status == "pathClear":
+                        return ""
+                    elif status == "pathForbiddenTemporary":
+                        continue
+                    else:
+                        return msg
+            except requests.exceptions.ReadTimeout:  # timeout raised by requests module
+                raise TimeoutError(f"Timeout of {timeout}s waiting for event from server.") from None
+            except Exception as e:  # unkown exceptions
+                print(f"An unexpected error occurred: {e}")
+                raise
 
 
         def __str__(self):
@@ -433,7 +455,7 @@ def __enter__(self):
 
     def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_val, exc_tb):
         if "time" in self.finalization: print(f"{self.ns.format("*")} time {monotonic() - self.t0:.6f} s")
-        if "clear" in self.finalization: self.clear().listen()
+        if "clear" in self.finalization: self.clear().listen_until_clear()
         if "spin_down" in self.finalization: self.spin_down()
         if "stop" in self.finalization: self.stop()
 
@@ -595,7 +617,7 @@ def _main():
 
             print("data", ins.download_().data)
 
-            ins.sexpr_import_("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trueagi-io/metta-examples/refs/heads/main/aunt-kg/simpsons.metta").listen()
+            ins.sexpr_import_("https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trueagi-io/metta-examples/refs/heads/main/aunt-kg/simpsons.metta").listen_until_clear()
 
             print("data", ins.download_().data)
 
@@ -607,23 +629,31 @@ def _main_mm2():
     # smoke test
     with ManagedMORK.connect("../target/debug/mork_server").and_log_stdout().and_log_stderr().and_terminate() as server:
         server.upload_("(data (foo 1))\n(data (foo 2))\n(_exec 0 (, (data (foo $x))) (, (data (bar $x))))")
-        server.transform(("(_exec $priority $p $t)",), ("(exec (test $priority) $p $t)",)).listen()
-        server.exec(thread_id="test").listen()
-        print("data", server.download_().data)
-
-        for i, item in enumerate(server.history):
-            print(i, str(item))
-
-def test_sse_status():
+        server.transform(("(_exec $priority $p $t)",), ("(exec (test $priority) $p $t)",)).listen_until_clear(5)
+        server.exec(thread_id="test").listen_until_clear(5)
+        # print("data", server.download_().data)
+        #
+        # for i, item in enumerate(server.history):
+        #     print(i, str(item))
+
+def _test_sse_status():
     with ManagedMORK.connect("../target/debug/mork_server").and_log_stdout().and_log_stderr().and_terminate() as server:
-        server.sexpr_import_(f"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Adam-Vandervorst/metta-examples/refs/heads/main/aunt-kg/simpsons.metta").listen()
+        DATASETS = (
+            "royal92",
+            "lordOfTheRings",
+            "adameve",
+            "simpsons",
+        )
+        for dataset in DATASETS:
+            server.sexpr_import_(
+                f"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Adam-Vandervorst/metta-examples/refs/heads/main/aunt-kg/{dataset}.metta"
+            ).listen_until_clear()
 
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # _main()
     _main_mm2()
-    # test_sse_status()