diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index b96ab68..41d6f8f 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -51,11 +51,11 @@ lmproto/deepseek/openai_compat/ ← Extends base via inheritance + extra fields
 
 ### Config (`config/`)
 
-TOML load/store (`ConfigStore`): `[providers]` tagged union presets, `[database]` section. Default path via platformdirs.
+TOML load/store (`ConfigStore`): `[providers]` tagged union presets, `[database]` section. Default path via platformdirs. Providers may set `timeout` as a float or `{ connect, read }` (`HttpTimeoutConfig`); omitted → product defaults (10s connect / 600s read).
 
 ### Runtime (`runtime/`)
 
-`create_client(provider)` maps config `Provider` → protocol client. OpenAI → `lmproto.openai.OpenAIClient` (Responses-capable); openai-compatible / deepseek(openai convention) → chat-completions clients; anthropic and deepseek anthropic convention raise `ProviderNotSupportedError`.
+`create_client(provider)` maps config `Provider` → protocol client. `provider_to_openai_config` normalizes `timeout` via `normalize_http_timeout` into `OpenAIConfig.timeout` for `niquests.AsyncSession`. OpenAI → `lmproto.openai.OpenAIClient` (Responses-capable); openai-compatible / deepseek(openai convention) → chat-completions clients; anthropic and deepseek anthropic convention raise `ProviderNotSupportedError`.
 
 ### Memory (`memory/`)
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 29407b5..5466c73 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -128,6 +128,9 @@ Minimal shape:
 preset = "openai-compatible"
 url = "https://api.openai.com/v1"
 access_key_or_token = "sk-..."
+# Optional HTTP timeouts (seconds). Default: connect=10, read=600.
+# timeout = 120
+# timeout = { connect = 10, read = 600 }
 
 [providers.local.models]
 "gpt-4o-mini" = { text = true }
@@ -138,6 +141,8 @@ confirm_destructive = true
 max_context_tokens = 200000
 ```
 
+Per-provider **`timeout`** is passed to the HTTP session for chat/completions, Responses, and `GET /models`. A single number sets one timeout; `{ connect, read }` splits TCP/TLS setup vs idle wait between response bytes (SSE can run longer than `read` while chunks keep arriving). Tool/process timeouts (`run_command`, PTY, policy confirm) are separate.
+
 Supported provider presets today: `openai` (default if `preset` is omitted; default models `gpt-5.4` / `gpt-5.4-mini` / `gpt-5.4-nano` when `models` is omitted), `openai-compatible`, `deepseek` (OpenAI convention; default models `deepseek-v4-flash` and `deepseek-v4-pro` if `models` is omitted). Anthropic presets are modeled in config but not wired in the runtime client yet.
 
 If `[database]` is omitted (or SQLite `url` is unset/empty), chat uses a durable file under the user data dir (e.g. `~/.local/share/plyngent/chat.db` on Linux). Set `url = ":memory:"` for a true in-memory SQLite (CLI warns; no file; useful for tests).
diff --git a/doc/plyngent.example.toml b/doc/plyngent.example.toml
index 1d50199..684eb23 100644
--- a/doc/plyngent.example.toml
+++ b/doc/plyngent.example.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ max_context_tokens = 200000
 preset = "openai-compatible"
 url = "https://api.openai.com/v1"
 access_key_or_token = "sk-replace-me"
+# HTTP timeouts for LLM API calls (seconds). Default if omitted: connect=10, read=600.
+# timeout = 120
+# timeout = { connect = 10, read = 600 }
 
 [providers.openai_compat.models]
 "gpt-4o-mini" = { text = true, cost_factor = 1.0 }
diff --git a/src/plyngent/config/__init__.py b/src/plyngent/config/__init__.py
index d2188dd..bbbfa70 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/config/__init__.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/config/__init__.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from .models import AgentConfig as AgentConfig
 from .models import AnthropicProvider as AnthropicProvider
 from .models import DatabaseConfig as DatabaseConfig
 from .models import DeepseekProvider as DeepseekProvider
+from .models import HttpTimeoutConfig as HttpTimeoutConfig
 from .models import ModelConfig as ModelConfig
 from .models import OpenAICompatibleProvider as OpenAICompatibleProvider
 from .models import OpenAIProvider as OpenAIProvider
diff --git a/src/plyngent/config/models.py b/src/plyngent/config/models.py
index 71de8b3..8e59492 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/config/models.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/config/models.py
@@ -50,6 +50,23 @@ class ModelConfig(Struct, omit_defaults=True):
     cost_factor: float = 1.0
 
 
+class HttpTimeoutConfig(Struct, omit_defaults=True):
+    """Per-provider HTTP timeouts (seconds) for the LLM API client.
+
+    TOML examples::
+
+        timeout = 120
+        timeout = { connect = 10, read = 600 }
+
+    ``connect`` bounds TCP/TLS setup; ``read`` bounds idle wait between response
+    bytes (SSE streams can run longer than *read* as long as chunks keep arriving).
+    Omitted fields use product defaults (10s connect / 600s read).
+    """
+
+    connect: float | None = None
+    read: float | None = None
+
+
 class ProviderConfig(Struct, tag_field="preset", omit_defaults=True):
     """Base config for all LLM providers.
 
@@ -60,6 +77,8 @@ class ProviderConfig(Struct, tag_field="preset", omit_defaults=True):
     access_key_or_token: str
     url: str = ""
     models: dict[str, ModelConfig] = field(default_factory=dict)
+    # float = single timeout for the session; table = connect/read split; omit = defaults.
+    timeout: float | HttpTimeoutConfig | None = None
 
 
 def _default_openai_models() -> dict[str, ModelConfig]:
diff --git a/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/client.py b/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/client.py
index 20ae148..224c3db 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/client.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/client.py
@@ -113,6 +113,7 @@ class BaseOpenAIClient:
         self.session = niquests.AsyncSession(
             base_url=config.base_url,
             auth=BearerTokenAuth(config.access_key_or_token),
+            timeout=config.timeout,
         )
         self.encoder = msgspec.json.Encoder()
         self.decoder = msgspec.json.Decoder(ChatCompletionResponse)
diff --git a/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/config.py b/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/config.py
index 1de9c46..d57b05d 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/config.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/lmproto/openai_compatible/config.py
@@ -1,7 +1,18 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 
+# Product defaults when provider omits ``timeout`` (connect vs read idle).
+DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT = 10.0
+DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT = 600.0
+
+type HttpTimeout = float | tuple[float, float]
+
 
 @dataclass
 class OpenAIConfig:
     access_key_or_token: str
     base_url: str = "https://api.openai.com/v1"
+    # Passed to ``niquests.AsyncSession(timeout=...)``.
+    # ``float`` = single timeout; ``(connect, read)`` = split; factory always sets a concrete value.
+    timeout: HttpTimeout = (DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT)
diff --git a/src/plyngent/runtime/__init__.py b/src/plyngent/runtime/__init__.py
index 070e800..aae4778 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/runtime/__init__.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/runtime/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from .client_factory import InvalidHttpTimeoutError as InvalidHttpTimeoutError
 from .client_factory import ProviderNotSupportedError as ProviderNotSupportedError
 from .client_factory import create_client as create_client
+from .client_factory import normalize_http_timeout as normalize_http_timeout
 from .client_factory import provider_to_openai_config as provider_to_openai_config
diff --git a/src/plyngent/runtime/client_factory.py b/src/plyngent/runtime/client_factory.py
index 677b0e3..a76a537 100644
--- a/src/plyngent/runtime/client_factory.py
+++ b/src/plyngent/runtime/client_factory.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import math
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 
 from plyngent.config.models import (
     DeepseekProvider,
+    HttpTimeoutConfig,
     OpenAICompatibleProvider,
     OpenAIProvider,
     Provider,
@@ -11,6 +13,11 @@ from plyngent.config.models import (
 from plyngent.lmproto.deepseek import DeepseekOpenAIClient
 from plyngent.lmproto.openai import OpenAIClient
 from plyngent.lmproto.openai_compatible import OpenAICompatibleClient, OpenAIConfig
+from plyngent.lmproto.openai_compatible.config import (
+    DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT,
+    DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT,
+    HttpTimeout,
+)
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from collections.abc import Mapping
@@ -29,6 +36,44 @@ class ProviderNotSupportedError(NotImplementedError):
     """Raised when a provider preset cannot be turned into a runtime client."""
 
 
+class InvalidHttpTimeoutError(ValueError):
+    """Raised when a provider ``timeout`` value is not usable for HTTP clients."""
+
+
+def normalize_http_timeout(timeout: float | HttpTimeoutConfig | None) -> HttpTimeout:
+    """Normalize TOML/provider timeout into a niquests session timeout.
+
+    * ``None`` → product defaults ``(connect=10, read=600)``
+    * ``float`` / ``int`` → single timeout (niquests applies to the request)
+    * :class:`HttpTimeoutConfig` → ``(connect, read)`` with defaults for omitted fields
+
+    All finite values must be ``> 0``.
+    """
+    if timeout is None:
+        return (DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT)
+    if isinstance(timeout, bool):
+        # ``bool`` is an ``int`` subclass; reject before the numeric branch.
+        msg = "timeout must be a positive number or { connect, read }, not a boolean"
+        raise InvalidHttpTimeoutError(msg)
+    if isinstance(timeout, int | float):
+        value = float(timeout)
+        if not math.isfinite(value) or value <= 0:
+            msg = f"timeout must be a finite number > 0, got {timeout!r}"
+            raise InvalidHttpTimeoutError(msg)
+        return value
+
+    # Remaining union member: HttpTimeoutConfig
+    connect = DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT if timeout.connect is None else float(timeout.connect)
+    read = DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT if timeout.read is None else float(timeout.read)
+    if not math.isfinite(connect) or connect <= 0:
+        msg = f"timeout.connect must be a finite number > 0, got {timeout.connect!r}"
+        raise InvalidHttpTimeoutError(msg)
+    if not math.isfinite(read) or read <= 0:
+        msg = f"timeout.read must be a finite number > 0, got {timeout.read!r}"
+        raise InvalidHttpTimeoutError(msg)
+    return (connect, read)
+
+
 def provider_to_openai_config(provider: OpenAIProvider | OpenAICompatibleProvider | DeepseekProvider) -> OpenAIConfig:
     """Map a provider config entry to :class:`OpenAIConfig`."""
     if isinstance(provider, OpenAIProvider):
@@ -40,9 +85,14 @@ def provider_to_openai_config(provider: OpenAIProvider | OpenAICompatibleProvide
         if not base_url:
             msg = "openai-compatible provider requires a non-empty url"
             raise ProviderNotSupportedError(msg)
+    try:
+        http_timeout = normalize_http_timeout(provider.timeout)
+    except InvalidHttpTimeoutError as exc:
+        raise ProviderNotSupportedError(str(exc)) from exc
     return OpenAIConfig(
         access_key_or_token=provider.access_key_or_token,
         base_url=base_url,
+        timeout=http_timeout,
     )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_config/test_config.py b/tests/test_config/test_config.py
index 8d40c9a..eba4789 100644
--- a/tests/test_config/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config/test_config.py
@@ -83,6 +83,46 @@ access_key_or_token = "sk-test"
     provider = config.providers["oai"]
     assert isinstance(provider, OpenAIProvider)
     assert set(provider.models) == {"gpt-5.4", "gpt-5.4-mini", "gpt-5.4-nano"}
+    assert provider.timeout is None
+
+
+def test_provider_timeout_float_from_toml(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    path = tmp_path / "timeout-float.toml"
+    _ = path.write_text(
+        """
+[providers.local]
+preset = "openai-compatible"
+url = "https://example.com/v1"
+access_key_or_token = "sk-test"
+timeout = 90
+models = { "m" = { text = true } }
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    config = plyngent.config.load(path)
+    provider = config.providers["local"]
+    assert isinstance(provider, OpenAICompatibleProvider)
+    assert provider.timeout == 90
+
+
+def test_provider_timeout_table_from_toml(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    from plyngent.config import HttpTimeoutConfig
+
+    path = tmp_path / "timeout-table.toml"
+    _ = path.write_text(
+        """
+[providers.oai]
+access_key_or_token = "sk-test"
+timeout = { connect = 5, read = 120 }
+""",
+        encoding="utf-8",
+    )
+    config = plyngent.config.load(path)
+    provider = config.providers["oai"]
+    assert isinstance(provider, OpenAIProvider)
+    assert isinstance(provider.timeout, HttpTimeoutConfig)
+    assert provider.timeout.connect == 5
+    assert provider.timeout.read == 120
 
 
 def test_deepseek_explicit_models_override_defaults() -> None:
diff --git a/tests/test_runtime/test_http_timeout.py b/tests/test_runtime/test_http_timeout.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76a229e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_runtime/test_http_timeout.py
@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import math
+
+import pytest
+
+from plyngent.config.models import (
+    HttpTimeoutConfig,
+    OpenAICompatibleProvider,
+    OpenAIProvider,
+)
+from plyngent.lmproto.openai_compatible.config import (
+    DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT,
+    DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT,
+)
+from plyngent.runtime import (
+    InvalidHttpTimeoutError,
+    ProviderNotSupportedError,
+    create_client,
+    normalize_http_timeout,
+    provider_to_openai_config,
+)
+
+
+def test_normalize_none_uses_product_defaults() -> None:
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(None) == (
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT,
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT,
+    )
+
+
+def test_normalize_float() -> None:
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(120) == 120.0
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(0.5) == 0.5
+
+
+def test_normalize_table_partial_and_full() -> None:
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(HttpTimeoutConfig()) == (
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT,
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT,
+    )
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=5.0)) == (
+        5.0,
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT,
+    )
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(HttpTimeoutConfig(read=30.0)) == (
+        DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT,
+        30.0,
+    )
+    assert normalize_http_timeout(HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=3.0, read=90.0)) == (3.0, 90.0)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "bad",
+    [
+        0,
+        -1,
+        math.nan,
+        math.inf,
+        True,  # bool is int subclass but rejected
+        HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=0),
+        HttpTimeoutConfig(read=-5),
+        HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=math.nan),
+    ],
+)
+def test_normalize_rejects_invalid(bad: float | HttpTimeoutConfig) -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(InvalidHttpTimeoutError):
+        _ = normalize_http_timeout(bad)
+
+
+def test_provider_to_openai_config_default_timeout() -> None:
+    provider = OpenAIProvider(access_key_or_token="sk-test")
+    config = provider_to_openai_config(provider)
+    assert config.timeout == (DEFAULT_HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, DEFAULT_HTTP_READ_TIMEOUT)
+
+
+def test_provider_to_openai_config_float_timeout() -> None:
+    provider = OpenAICompatibleProvider(
+        access_key_or_token="sk-test",
+        url="https://example.com/v1",
+        timeout=45.0,
+    )
+    config = provider_to_openai_config(provider)
+    assert config.timeout == 45.0
+
+
+def test_provider_to_openai_config_table_timeout() -> None:
+    provider = OpenAIProvider(
+        access_key_or_token="sk-test",
+        timeout=HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=2.0, read=99.0),
+    )
+    config = provider_to_openai_config(provider)
+    assert config.timeout == (2.0, 99.0)
+
+
+def test_invalid_timeout_via_create_client() -> None:
+    provider = OpenAICompatibleProvider(
+        access_key_or_token="sk-test",
+        url="https://example.com/v1",
+        timeout=0,
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(ProviderNotSupportedError, match="timeout"):
+        _ = create_client(provider)
+
+
+def test_client_session_receives_timeout() -> None:
+    from plyngent.lmproto.openai_compatible import OpenAICompatibleClient
+
+    provider = OpenAICompatibleProvider(
+        access_key_or_token="sk-test",
+        url="https://example.com/v1",
+        timeout=HttpTimeoutConfig(connect=7.0, read=11.0),
+    )
+    client = create_client(provider)
+    assert isinstance(client, OpenAICompatibleClient)
+    assert client.session.timeout == (7.0, 11.0)