diff --git a/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/axios.ts b/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/axios.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a87a4e317
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/axios.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+import axios, { Method } from "axios";
+import http from "http";
+import https from "https";
+import { capitalize } from "lodash";
+
+import { version } from "coral-common/version";
+
+export type Axios = (
+  url: string,
+  options?: AxiosOptions,
+  timeout?: number
+) => Promise<AxiosResponse>;
+
+export interface AxiosResponse {
+  ok: boolean;
+  status: number;
+  data: any;
+}
+
+export interface CreateAxiosOptions {
+  /**
+   * name is the string that is attached to the `User-Agent` header as:
+   *
+   *  `Coral ${name}/${version}`
+   */
+  name: string;
+}
+
+export interface AxiosOptions {
+  method: Method;
+  headers: any;
+  body: any;
+}
+
+export const createAxios = ({ name }: CreateAxiosOptions): Axios => {
+  // defaultHeaders are the headers attached to each request (unless they are
+  // overridden).
+  const defaultHeaders = {
+    "User-Agent": `Coral ${capitalize(name)}/${version}`,
+  };
+
+  // Create HTTP agents to improve connection performance.
+  const agents = {
+    https: new https.Agent({
+      keepAlive: true,
+    }),
+    http: new http.Agent({
+      keepAlive: true,
+    }),
+  };
+
+  return async (
+    url: string,
+    { method = "GET", headers = {}, body = {} }: AxiosOptions,
+    timeout?: number
+  ) => {
+    const response = await axios.request({
+      method,
+      url,
+      headers: {
+        ...defaultHeaders,
+        ...headers,
+      },
+      data: body,
+      timeout,
+      timeoutErrorMessage: "axios request timed out",
+      httpAgent: agents.http,
+      httpsAgent: agents.https,
+    });
+
+    const ok = response.status >= 200 || response.status <= 299;
+
+    return {
+      ok,
+      status: response.status,
+      data: response.data,
+    };
+  };
+};
diff --git a/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/index.ts b/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..07041166c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/server/services/axios.ts/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export * from "./axios";
diff --git a/src/core/server/services/perspective/perspective.ts b/src/core/server/services/perspective/perspective.ts
index 70750ba76..f0f8efc03 100644
--- a/src/core/server/services/perspective/perspective.ts
+++ b/src/core/server/services/perspective/perspective.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
-import axios from "axios";
 import path from "path";
 import { URL } from "url";
 
 import { TOXICITY_ENDPOINT_DEFAULT } from "coral-common/constants";
 import { LanguageCode } from "coral-common/helpers";
+import logger from "coral-server/logger";
 import { getURLWithCommentID } from "coral-server/models/story";
 
+import { createAxios } from "../axios.ts";
+
+const axios = createAxios({ name: "perspective" });
+
 /**
  * Language is the language key that is supported by the Perspective API in the
  * ISO 631-1 format.
@@ -135,28 +139,33 @@ export async function sendToPerspective(
 
   try {
     // Create the request and send it.
-    const res = await axios.post(url.toString(), body, {
-      headers: {
-        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+
+    const res = await axios(
+      url.toString(),
+      {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: {
+          "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        },
+        body,
       },
-      timeout,
-    });
+      timeout
+    );
 
     // Non-successful response
-    if (res.status < 200 || res.status > 299) {
+    if (!res.ok) {
       return {
-        ok: false,
+        ok: res.ok,
         status: res.status,
         data: null,
       };
     }
 
     // Parse the JSON body and send back the result!
-    const data = res.data;
     return {
       ok: true,
       status: res.status,
-      data,
+      data: res.data,
     };
   } catch (err) {
     // Ensure that the API key doesn't get leaked to the logs by accident.
@@ -167,6 +176,10 @@ export async function sendToPerspective(
       );
     }
 
+    if (err.message && err.message.startsWith("axios request timed out")) {
+      logger.error("perspective request timed out");
+    }
+
     // Rethrow the error.
     throw err;
   }