diff --git a/autoload/matchup.vim b/autoload/matchup.vim
index 4906d47..9a16056 100644
--- a/autoload/matchup.vim
+++ b/autoload/matchup.vim
@@ -25,9 +25,11 @@ function! s:init_options()
 
   call s:init_option('matchup_matchparen_timeout',
     \ get(g:, 'matchparen_timeout', 300))
-  call s:init_option('matchup_matchparen_insert_timeout', 
+  call s:init_option('matchup_matchparen_insert_timeout',
     \ get(g:, 'matchparen_insert_timeout', 60))
 
+  call s:init_option('matchup_delim_count_fail', 0)
+
   call s:init_option('matchup_motion_enabled', 1)
   call s:init_option('matchup_motion_cursor_end', 1)
   call s:init_option('matchup_motion_override_Npercent', 6)
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ function! s:init_options()
   call s:init_option('matchup_transmute_enabled', 0)
 
   call s:init_option('matchup_imap_enabled', 0)
-  
+
   call s:init_option('matchup_complete_enabled', 0)
 endfunction
 
diff --git a/autoload/matchup/delim.vim b/autoload/matchup/delim.vim
index 8aa33b8..469645d 100644
--- a/autoload/matchup/delim.vim
+++ b/autoload/matchup/delim.vim
@@ -209,15 +209,19 @@ function! matchup#delim#get_surrounding(type, ...) " {{{1
   " provided count == 0 refers to local any block
   let l:local = l:count == 0 ? 1 : 0
 
-  let l:opts = {}
-  let s:invert_skip = 0
-  if matchup#delim#skip() " TODO: check for insert mode
-    let l:opts.check_skip = 0
+  let l:delimopts = {}
+  let s:invert_skip = 0   " TODO: this logic is still bad
+  if matchup#delim#skip() " TODO: check for insert mode (?)
+    let l:delimopts.check_skip = 0
   endif
 
+  " keep track of the outermost pair found so far
+  " returned when g:matchup_delim_count_fail = 1
+  let l:best = []
+
   while l:pos_val_open < l:pos_val_last
     let l:open = matchup#delim#get_prev(a:type,
-          \ l:local ? 'open_mid' : 'open', l:opts)
+          \ l:local ? 'open_mid' : 'open', l:delimopts)
     if empty(l:open) | break | endif
 
     let l:matches = matchup#delim#get_matching(l:open, 1)
@@ -237,6 +241,7 @@ function! matchup#delim#get_surrounding(type, ...) " {{{1
       endif
       call matchup#pos#set_cursor(matchup#pos#prev(l:open))
       let l:counter -= 1
+      let l:best = [l:open, l:close]
     else
       call matchup#pos#set_cursor(matchup#pos#prev(l:open))
       let l:pos_val_last = l:pos_val_open
@@ -244,6 +249,12 @@ function! matchup#delim#get_surrounding(type, ...) " {{{1
     endif
   endwhile
 
+  if !empty(l:best) && g:matchup_delim_count_fail
+    call matchup#pos#set_cursor(l:save_pos)
+    call matchup#perf#toc('delim#get_surrounding', 'bad_count')
+    return l:best
+  endif
+
   " restore cursor and return failure
   call matchup#pos#set_cursor(l:save_pos)
   call matchup#perf#toc('delim#get_surrounding', 'fail')
diff --git a/autoload/matchup/motion.vim b/autoload/matchup/motion.vim
index f54b38d..48c7f80 100644
--- a/autoload/matchup/motion.vim
+++ b/autoload/matchup/motion.vim
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ function! matchup#motion#find_unmatched(visual, down) " {{{1
     normal! gv
   endif
 
-  " disable the timeout
-  call matchup#perf#timeout_start(0)
+  " set the timeout fairly high
+  call matchup#perf#timeout_start(750)
 
   for l:second_try in range(2)
     let [l:open, l:close] = matchup#delim#get_surrounding('delim_all',
diff --git a/autoload/matchup/text_obj.vim b/autoload/matchup/text_obj.vim
index 4d5c553..cd3d0f7 100644
--- a/autoload/matchup/text_obj.vim
+++ b/autoload/matchup/text_obj.vim
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ function! matchup#text_obj#delimited(is_inner, visual, type) " {{{1
     let l:linewise_op = 1
   endif
 
-  " disable the timeout
-  call matchup#perf#timeout_start(0)
+  " set the timeout fairly high
+  call matchup#perf#timeout_start(725)
 
   " try up to four times
   for l:try_again in range(4)
diff --git a/doc/matchup.txt b/doc/matchup.txt
index baff4e2..306d39d 100644
--- a/doc/matchup.txt
+++ b/doc/matchup.txt
@@ -525,12 +525,15 @@ Module motion~
 
   Default: 1
 
-*g:matchup_motion_count_fail*
+*g:matchup_delim_count_fail*
 
-  When enabled, giving an invalid count to the |[%| and |]%| motions will
-  cause the motion to fail.  Otherwise they will move as far as possible.
+  When disabled (default), giving an invalid count to the |[%| and |]%| motions
+  and the text objects |i%| and |a%| will cause the motion or operation to fail.
+  When enabled, they will move as far as possible.
+  Note: targeting high counts when this option is enabled can become slow
+  because many positions need to be tried before giving up.
 
-  Default: 1
+  Default: 0
 
 Module text_obj~