diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
index c54dfa488..becd1c838 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/pages/pages.py
@@ -3625,7 +3625,7 @@ def render_ad(reddit_name=None, codename=None, keyword=None):
             return Dart_Ad("reddit.dart", reddit_name, keyword).render()
 
     try:
-        sr = Subreddit._by_name(reddit_name)
+        sr = Subreddit._by_name(reddit_name, stale=True)
     except NotFound:
         return Dart_Ad("reddit.dart", g.default_sr, keyword).render()
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/ad.py b/r2/r2/models/ad.py
index bbeec984e..d4c8da8cb 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/ad.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/ad.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ class AdSR(Relation(Ad, Subreddit)):
             return cls.by_sr(sr)
 
         my_adsrs =     cls.by_sr(sr)
-        global_adsrs = cls.by_sr(Subreddit._by_name(g.default_sr))
+        global_adsrs = cls.by_sr(Subreddit._by_name(g.default_sr, stale=True))
 
         seen = {}
         for adsr in my_adsrs:
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
index ce6811474..caec5ea1b 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
@@ -811,7 +811,7 @@ class DefaultSR(_DefaultSR):
     def __init__(self):
         _DefaultSR.__init__(self)
         try:
-            self._base = Subreddit._by_name(g.default_sr)
+            self._base = Subreddit._by_name(g.default_sr, stale=True)
         except NotFound:
             self._base = None