diff --git a/app/models/template.py b/app/models/template.py
index ad3f90dd9..56a629acf 100644
--- a/app/models/template.py
+++ b/app/models/template.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ async def create(cls, url: str, *, force=False) -> "Template":
             logger.warning(f"Unable to determine image extension: {url}")
             suffix = settings.PLACEHOLDER_SUFFIX
 
-        filename = "default" + suffix
+        filename = ("animated" if suffix == ".gif" else "default") + suffix
         path = aiopath.AsyncPath(template.directory) / filename
 
         if await path.exists() and not settings.DEBUG and not force:
diff --git a/app/tests/images/_custom-8c07e54720f56695b9d07ff388a553e7380e17b6/this_isn't_the_GIF/you're_looking_for.19ce359e2f5320aefdf2a71250cacb29d0130578.gif b/app/tests/images/_custom-8c07e54720f56695b9d07ff388a553e7380e17b6/this_isn't_the_GIF/you're_looking_for.19ce359e2f5320aefdf2a71250cacb29d0130578.gif
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dfff81172
Binary files /dev/null and b/app/tests/images/_custom-8c07e54720f56695b9d07ff388a553e7380e17b6/this_isn't_the_GIF/you're_looking_for.19ce359e2f5320aefdf2a71250cacb29d0130578.gif differ
diff --git a/app/tests/images/_custom-95adba7864bc0608374810deec55976a4e661e57/this_is/animated.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif b/app/tests/images/_custom-95adba7864bc0608374810deec55976a4e661e57/this_is/animated.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif
index b0849b21d..6376104fb 100644
Binary files a/app/tests/images/_custom-95adba7864bc0608374810deec55976a4e661e57/this_is/animated.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif and b/app/tests/images/_custom-95adba7864bc0608374810deec55976a4e661e57/this_is/animated.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif differ
diff --git a/app/tests/images/cbg/_/not._animated._ever.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif b/app/tests/images/cbg/_/not._animated._ever.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif
index 98e015afb..bfa574e75 100644
Binary files a/app/tests/images/cbg/_/not._animated._ever.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif and b/app/tests/images/cbg/_/not._animated._ever.f758951228f4c53c2b0348a12f4db56ca39e4c85.gif differ
diff --git a/app/tests/images/iw/tests_code/in_production_(debug).a93ae473d60f658f0225ebcf1d8e9c27d9b4ef4a.gif b/app/tests/images/iw/tests_code/in_production_(debug).a93ae473d60f658f0225ebcf1d8e9c27d9b4ef4a.gif
index 9be36516e..89932b22e 100644
Binary files a/app/tests/images/iw/tests_code/in_production_(debug).a93ae473d60f658f0225ebcf1d8e9c27d9b4ef4a.gif and b/app/tests/images/iw/tests_code/in_production_(debug).a93ae473d60f658f0225ebcf1d8e9c27d9b4ef4a.gif differ
diff --git a/app/tests/test_utils_images.py b/app/tests/test_utils_images.py
index 299f9686f..2165e92c1 100644
--- a/app/tests/test_utils_images.py
+++ b/app/tests/test_utils_images.py
@@ -269,6 +269,17 @@ def test_debug_images(images, monkeypatch, extension):
     )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.slow
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_debug_images_with_slow_background(images, monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "DEBUG", True)
+
+    url = "https://media.giphy.com/media/4560Nv2656Gv0Lvp9F/giphy.gif"
+    template = await models.Template.create(url)
+    lines = ["this isn't the GIF", "you're looking for"]
+    utils.images.save(template, lines, style=url, extension="gif", directory=images)
+
+
 def test_deployed_images(images, monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setattr(settings, "DEPLOYED", True)
 
diff --git a/app/utils/images.py b/app/utils/images.py
index c4058131b..79db33635 100644
--- a/app/utils/images.py
+++ b/app/utils/images.py
@@ -83,8 +83,12 @@ def save(
 
         count = len(frames)
         if (count <= settings.MINIMUM_FRAMES) or (count > settings.MAXIMUM_FRAMES):
-            logger.info(f"Saving {count} frame(s) as animated PNG")
+            logger.info(
+                f"Saving {count} frame(s) as animated PNG at {duration} duration"
+            )
             extension = "png"
+        else:
+            logger.info(f"Saving {count} frame(s) as GIF at {duration} duration")
 
         frames[0].save(
             path,
@@ -248,7 +252,7 @@ def render_animation(
     elif sum(1 for line in lines if line.strip()) >= 2:
         template.animate()
         sources = [source] * settings.MINIMUM_FRAMES  # type: ignore
-        duration = 300
+        duration = 1200
         total = settings.MINIMUM_FRAMES
     else:
         sources = [source]  # type: ignore
@@ -337,12 +341,16 @@ def render_animation(
             image = add_watermark(image, ".", is_preview, index, total)
 
         if settings.DEBUG:
-            image = add_counter(image, index, total, modulus)
+            image = add_counter(image, index, total, modulus, duration)
 
         frames.append(image)
 
-    ratio = len(frames) / max(total, settings.MAXIMUM_FRAMES)
-    duration = duration / ratio
+    if len(frames) > settings.MINIMUM_FRAMES:
+        logger.info(
+            f"Adjusting initial duration of {duration} based on {total} initial frame(s)"
+        )
+        ratio = len(frames) / max(total, settings.MAXIMUM_FRAMES)
+        duration = min(250, duration / ratio)
 
     return frames, duration
 
@@ -444,9 +452,11 @@ def add_watermark(
     return Image.alpha_composite(image, box)
 
 
-def add_counter(image: ImageType, index: int, total: int, modulus: float) -> ImageType:
+def add_counter(
+    image: ImageType, index: int, total: int, modulus: float, duration: int
+) -> ImageType:
     size = (image.size[0], settings.WATERMARK_HEIGHT)
-    text = f"{index+1:02} of {total:02} / {modulus}"
+    text = f"{index+1:02} of {total:02} / {modulus} @ {duration}"
     font = get_font("tiny", text, size, 99)
 
     box = Image.new("RGBA", image.size)