diff --git a/extension.json b/extension.json
index 1873711e..ce792bc1 100644
--- a/extension.json
+++ b/extension.json
@@ -432,6 +432,10 @@
 		"WikiEditorRealtimePreviewDebounce": {
 			"description": "Debounce time in milliseconds for the Realtime Preview feature.",
 			"value": 2500
+		},
+		"WikiEditorRealtimeDisableDuration": {
+			"description": "Average number of milliseconds after which to automatically disable Realtime Preview.",
+			"value": 10000
 		}
 	},
 	"manifest_version": 2
diff --git a/includes/Hooks.php b/includes/Hooks.php
index a0b8b886..0a786204 100644
--- a/includes/Hooks.php
+++ b/includes/Hooks.php
@@ -358,6 +358,7 @@ class Hooks implements
 			'magicWords' => self::getMagicWords(),
 			'signature' => self::getSignatureMessage( $context ),
 			'realtimeDebounce' => $config->get( 'WikiEditorRealtimePreviewDebounce' ),
+			'realtimeDisableDuration' => $config->get( 'WikiEditorRealtimeDisableDuration' ),
 		];
 	}
 
diff --git a/modules/realtimepreview/RealtimePreview.js b/modules/realtimepreview/RealtimePreview.js
index 09aabbb3..8a881cd7 100644
--- a/modules/realtimepreview/RealtimePreview.js
+++ b/modules/realtimepreview/RealtimePreview.js
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ function RealtimePreview() {
 	// Used to ensure we wait for a response before making new requests.
 	this.isPreviewing = false;
 	this.previewPending = false;
+	// Used to average response times and automatically disable realtime preview if it's very slow.
+	this.responseTimes = [];
 }
 
 /**
@@ -131,6 +133,30 @@ RealtimePreview.prototype.showError = function ( $msg ) {
 	this.errorLayout.toggle( true );
 };
 
+/**
+ * @private
+ * @param {number} time
+ */
+RealtimePreview.prototype.checkResponseTimes = function ( time ) {
+	this.responseTimes.push( Date.now() - time );
+	if ( this.responseTimes.length < 3 ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	var totalResponseTime = this.responseTimes.reduce( function ( a, b ) {
+		return a + b;
+	}, 0 );
+
+	if ( ( totalResponseTime / this.responseTimes.length ) > this.configData.realtimeDisableDuration ) {
+		// TODO: switch to the 'manual preview' workflow once designs/behaviour is finalized.
+		this.showError(
+			$( '<div>' ).text( '[PLACEHOLDER] Realtime preview is too slow' )
+		);
+	}
+
+	this.responseTimes.shift();
+};
+
 /**
  * @private
  */
@@ -147,6 +173,8 @@ RealtimePreview.prototype.doRealtimePreview = function () {
 	var loadingSelectors = this.pagePreview.getLoadingSelectors();
 	loadingSelectors.push( '.ext-WikiEditor-realtimepreview-preview' );
 	this.errorLayout.toggle( false );
+	var time = Date.now();
+
 	this.pagePreview.doPreview( {
 		$previewNode: this.$previewNode,
 		$spinnerNode: false,
@@ -157,6 +185,7 @@ RealtimePreview.prototype.doRealtimePreview = function () {
 	}.bind( this ) ).always( function () {
 		this.twoPaneLayout.getPane2().removeClass( 'ext-WikiEditor-twopanes-loading' );
 		this.isPreviewing = false;
+		this.checkResponseTimes( time );
 
 		if ( this.previewPending ) {
 			this.previewPending = false;