diff --git a/lib/types/message-types.js b/lib/types/message-types.js
--- a/lib/types/message-types.js
+++ b/lib/types/message-types.js
@@ -468,6 +468,7 @@
   +currentAsOf: number,
 };
 export const defaultNumberPerThread = 20;
+export const defaultMaxMessageAge = 14 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000; // 2 weeks
 
 export type SendMessageResponse = {
   +newMessageInfo: RawMessageInfo,
diff --git a/server/src/fetchers/message-fetchers.js b/server/src/fetchers/message-fetchers.js
--- a/server/src/fetchers/message-fetchers.js
+++ b/server/src/fetchers/message-fetchers.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   type MessageTruncationStatus,
   messageTruncationStatus,
   type FetchMessageInfosResult,
+  defaultMaxMessageAge,
 } from 'lib/types/message-types';
 import { threadPermissions } from 'lib/types/thread-types';
 import { ServerError } from 'lib/utils/errors';
@@ -353,8 +354,19 @@
 function messageSelectionCriteriaToSQLClause(
   criteria: MessageSelectionCriteria,
 ) {
+  const minMessageTime = Date.now() - defaultMaxMessageAge;
+
+  let globalTimeFilter;
+  if (criteria.newerThan) {
+    globalTimeFilter = SQL`m.time > ${criteria.newerThan}`;
+  } else if (!criteria.threadCursors) {
+    globalTimeFilter = SQL`m.time > ${minMessageTime}`;
+  }
+
   const threadConditions = [];
-  if (criteria.joinedThreads === true) {
+  if (criteria.joinedThreads === true && !globalTimeFilter) {
+    threadConditions.push(SQL`(mm.role > 0 AND m.time > ${minMessageTime})`);
+  } else if (criteria.joinedThreads === true) {
     threadConditions.push(SQL`mm.role > 0`);
   }
   if (criteria.threadCursors) {
@@ -374,10 +386,7 @@
   }
   const threadClause = mergeOrConditions(threadConditions);
 
-  const conditions = [threadClause];
-  if (criteria.newerThan) {
-    conditions.push(SQL`m.time > ${criteria.newerThan}`);
-  }
+  const conditions = [globalTimeFilter, threadClause].filter(Boolean);
   return mergeAndConditions(conditions);
 }