A portal server keeps a record of the availability of portlets. When a client node sends a request for a portal page, the portal server checks the record to determine whether portlets in the portal page are available. If a portlet is unavailable, the portal server sends a portal page with a substitute portlet without requiring the client node to wait for unavailable portlets. The substitute portlet may notify the user that the requested portlet is delayed, and/or it may provide the user with an option to attempt to reload the portlet or to be notified--for example by email--when the portlet is available.