diff --git a/microblog.py b/microblog.py
index ecb5bc2..258f33a 100644
--- a/microblog.py
+++ b/microblog.py
@@ -273,15 +273,19 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         p = argparse.ArgumentParser()
         p.add_argument("template", help="an html template file")
         p.add_argument("content", help="text file for microblog content")
-        p.add_argument("--sort",  \
+        p.add_argument("--sort", \
             help="sorts content from oldest to newest"
                 " (this is a separate operation from page generation)", \
             action="store_true")
+        p.add_argument("--skip-fetch", \
+            help="skips fetching profile data from remote sources;"
+                 " has no effect if webring is not enabled",\
+            action="store_true")
         args = p.parse_args()
         if args.sort:
             sort(args.content)
             exit()
-        return args.template, args.content
+        return args.template, args.content, args.skip_fetch
 
     # assume relative path
     def demote_css(template, css_list,  level=1):
@@ -476,7 +480,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
         return render(list_of_json_objs, f_cfg["format"])
 
     def main():
-        tpl, content = get_args()
+        tpl, content, skip_fetch = get_args()
         cfg = load_settings()
         if cfg == None:
             print("exit: no settings.toml found.", file=sys.stderr)
@@ -511,6 +515,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
             if cfg["webring"]["enabled"] == True:
                 export_profile(
                     len(p), p[0].get_epoch_time(), cfg["webring"] )
+            if not skip_fetch:
                 fellows = fn1(cfg["webring"]["following"] )
                 if fellows != []:
                     updated += writepage(