diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index af529b757..27b913c1b 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -223,6 +223,7 @@ const (
 	OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs Key = `outgoingrequests.allownonroutableips`
 	OutgoingRequestsProxyURL            Key = `outgoingrequests.proxyurl`
 	OutgoingRequestsProxyPassword       Key = `outgoingrequests.proxypassword`
+	OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds      Key = `outgoingrequests.timeoutseconds`
 
 	AutoTLSEnabled     Key = `autotls.enabled`
 	AutoTLSEmail       Key = `autotls.email`
@@ -480,6 +481,7 @@ func InitDefaultConfig() {
 	WebhooksAllowNonRoutableIPs.setDefault(false)
 	// Outgoing Requests
 	OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.setDefault(false)
+	OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.setDefault(30)
 	// AutoTLS
 	AutoTLSRenewBefore.setDefault("720h") // 30days in hours
 	// Plugins
diff --git a/pkg/modules/avatar/gravatar/gravatar.go b/pkg/modules/avatar/gravatar/gravatar.go
index e44fd0334..572cdecc3 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/avatar/gravatar/gravatar.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/avatar/gravatar/gravatar.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (g *Provider) GetAvatar(user *user.User, size int64) ([]byte, string, error
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		resp, err := (&http.Client{}).Do(req) // #nosec G704 -- URL is from config (AvatarGravatarBaseURL)
+		resp, err := (&http.Client{Timeout: 5 * time.Second}).Do(req) // #nosec G704 -- URL is from config (AvatarGravatarBaseURL)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go b/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
index afeed3496..07a3b4ad8 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func doGet(url string, result ...interface{}) (err error) {
 	}
 
 	req.Header.Add("Authorization", "Client-ID "+config.BackgroundsUnsplashAccessToken.GetString())
-	hc := http.Client{}
+	hc := http.Client{Timeout: 10 * time.Second}
 	resp, err := hc.Do(req) // #nosec G704 -- URL is constructed from hardcoded Unsplash API base
 	if err != nil {
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/utils/httpclient.go b/pkg/utils/httpclient.go
index 57b9b0b58..ed6a902bc 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/httpclient.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/httpclient.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"net/url"
+	"time"
 
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/config"
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/version"
@@ -37,7 +38,9 @@ import (
 // config init time (see config.InitDefaultConfig), so this function only
 // reads the new keys.
 func NewSSRFSafeHTTPClient() *http.Client {
-	client := &http.Client{}
+	client := &http.Client{
+		Timeout: time.Duration(config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.GetInt()) * time.Second,
+	}
 	transport := &http.Transport{}
 
 	if !config.OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.GetBool() {
diff --git a/pkg/utils/httpclient_test.go b/pkg/utils/httpclient_test.go
index aa1a79724..03ccdb117 100644
--- a/pkg/utils/httpclient_test.go
+++ b/pkg/utils/httpclient_test.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/config"
 
@@ -63,6 +64,40 @@ func TestNewSSRFSafeHTTPClient(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Error(t, err)
 	})
 
+	t.Run("has default timeout from config", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.Set("30")
+		client := NewSSRFSafeHTTPClient()
+		assert.Equal(t, 30*time.Second, client.Timeout)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("respects custom timeout config", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.Set("15")
+		defer config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.Set("30")
+
+		client := NewSSRFSafeHTTPClient()
+		assert.Equal(t, 15*time.Second, client.Timeout)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("timeout fires on slow server", func(t *testing.T) {
+		config.OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.Set("true")
+		config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.Set("1")
+		defer config.OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.Set("false")
+		defer config.OutgoingRequestsTimeoutSeconds.Set("30")
+
+		server := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+			time.Sleep(3 * time.Second)
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		}))
+		defer server.Close()
+
+		client := NewSSRFSafeHTTPClient()
+		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(context.Background(), http.MethodGet, server.URL, nil)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		_, err = client.Do(req) //nolint:bodyclose,gosec
+		require.Error(t, err)
+		assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "Client.Timeout")
+	})
+
 	t.Run("allows non-routable IPs when config is true", func(t *testing.T) {
 		config.OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.Set("true")
 		defer config.OutgoingRequestsAllowNonRoutableIPs.Set("false")