diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9a65e383..92ab07bd 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ All notable changes to the Late Node.js SDK will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Fixed
+- The `timeout` client option is now applied to every request (it was previously ignored). The default is 300000 ms, and a timed-out call rejects with a `TimeoutError` DOMException. A per-call `signal` replaces the timeout for that call. If you set `timeout` by hand and use `publishNow`, allow for publishes that take minutes. A timed-out create can still complete on the server, so retry it with the same `Idempotency-Key`.
+
 ## [0.2.519] - 2026-08-07
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7fd05360..b7936a75 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@ console.log(`Published to ${post.platforms.length} platforms!`);
 const zernio = new Zernio({
   apiKey: 'your-api-key', // Defaults to process.env['ZERNIO_API_KEY']
   baseURL: 'https://zernio.com/api',
-  timeout: 60000,
+  timeout: 300000,
 });
 ```
 
+A per-call `signal` overrides `timeout`, and a timed-out call rejects with a `TimeoutError`.
+
 ## Examples
 
 ### Schedule a Post
diff --git a/scripts/generate-client.ts b/scripts/generate-client.ts
index 35b2ed4c..fe261d50 100644
--- a/scripts/generate-client.ts
+++ b/scripts/generate-client.ts
@@ -213,8 +213,8 @@ export interface ClientOptions {
   baseURL?: string | null | undefined;
 
   /**
-   * The maximum amount of time (in milliseconds) that the client should wait for a response.
-   * @default 60000
+   * Maximum time in milliseconds for each request, response body included. A timed-out call rejects with a \`TimeoutError\` DOMException. \`0\` or \`Infinity\` disables it, and a \`signal\` passed to a call replaces it for that call. Creates with \`publishNow\` publish inside the request and can take minutes.
+   * @default 300000
    */
   timeout?: number;
 
@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ export interface ClientOptions {
  * \`\`\`
  */
 export class Zernio {
-  private _options: ClientOptions;
+  private _timeout: number | undefined;
 
   /**
    * HTTP client owned by this instance. Every namespace method below is bound
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ export class Zernio {
    * Routes a generated operation through this instance's client, preserving the
    * operation's own signature. Reads \`_client\` when the method is called, not
    * when it is bound, because class fields initialize before the constructor
-   * body runs.
+   * body runs. Each call gets its own timeout signal.
    */
   private _bind<F>(operation: F): F {
     return ((options?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
@@ -367,6 +367,10 @@ export class Zernio {
       if (withClient['client'] === undefined) {
         withClient['client'] = this._dispatchClient;
       }
+      // A caller signal replaces the timeout instead of joining it: AbortSignal.any needs Node 18.17 and engines allows 18.0.
+      if (withClient['signal'] === undefined && this._timeout !== undefined) {
+        withClient['signal'] = AbortSignal.timeout(this._timeout);
+      }
       return (operation as (opts: unknown) => unknown)(withClient);
     }) as F;
   }
@@ -436,7 +440,11 @@ ${namespaceProps.join('\n\n')}
 
     this.apiKey = apiKey;
     this.baseURL = options.baseURL ?? 'https://zernio.com/api';
-    this._options = options;
+    // AbortSignal.timeout throws a RangeError outside uint32 integers, and \`timeout\` was
+    // ignored by every earlier release, so no value an integrator already passes may start throwing.
+    const timeout = options.timeout ?? 300000;
+    this._timeout =
+      timeout > 0 && Number.isFinite(timeout) ? Math.min(Math.ceil(timeout), 2 ** 32 - 1) : undefined;
 
     // One client per instance. Interceptors used to be registered on the
     // module-global client, so every \`new Zernio()\` stacked another auth
diff --git a/src/client.ts b/src/client.ts
index 8620f3f0..cdd7328e 100644
--- a/src/client.ts
+++ b/src/client.ts
@@ -983,8 +983,8 @@ export interface ClientOptions {
   baseURL?: string | null | undefined;
 
   /**
-   * The maximum amount of time (in milliseconds) that the client should wait for a response.
-   * @default 60000
+   * Maximum time in milliseconds for each request, response body included. A timed-out call rejects with a `TimeoutError` DOMException. `0` or `Infinity` disables it, and a `signal` passed to a call replaces it for that call. Creates with `publishNow` publish inside the request and can take minutes.
+   * @default 300000
    */
   timeout?: number;
 
@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ export interface ClientOptions {
  * ```
  */
 export class Zernio {
-  private _options: ClientOptions;
+  private _timeout: number | undefined;
 
   /**
    * HTTP client owned by this instance. Every namespace method below is bound
@@ -1049,7 +1049,7 @@ export class Zernio {
    * Routes a generated operation through this instance's client, preserving the
    * operation's own signature. Reads `_client` when the method is called, not
    * when it is bound, because class fields initialize before the constructor
-   * body runs.
+   * body runs. Each call gets its own timeout signal.
    */
   private _bind<F>(operation: F): F {
     return ((options?: Record<string, unknown>) => {
@@ -1057,6 +1057,10 @@ export class Zernio {
       if (withClient['client'] === undefined) {
         withClient['client'] = this._dispatchClient;
       }
+      // A caller signal replaces the timeout instead of joining it: AbortSignal.any needs Node 18.17 and engines allows 18.0.
+      if (withClient['signal'] === undefined && this._timeout !== undefined) {
+        withClient['signal'] = AbortSignal.timeout(this._timeout);
+      }
       return (operation as (opts: unknown) => unknown)(withClient);
     }) as F;
   }
@@ -3016,7 +3020,11 @@ export class Zernio {
 
     this.apiKey = apiKey;
     this.baseURL = options.baseURL ?? 'https://zernio.com/api';
-    this._options = options;
+    // AbortSignal.timeout throws a RangeError outside uint32 integers, and `timeout` was
+    // ignored by every earlier release, so no value an integrator already passes may start throwing.
+    const timeout = options.timeout ?? 300000;
+    this._timeout =
+      timeout > 0 && Number.isFinite(timeout) ? Math.min(Math.ceil(timeout), 2 ** 32 - 1) : undefined;
 
     // One client per instance. Interceptors used to be registered on the
     // module-global client, so every `new Zernio()` stacked another auth
diff --git a/tests/timeout.test.ts b/tests/timeout.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..658ecd0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/timeout.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+import { createServer } from 'node:http';
+import type { AddressInfo } from 'node:net';
+import { describe, it, expect } from 'vitest';
+import Zernio from '../src';
+
+function startServer(respondAfterMs: number | null): Promise<{ baseURL: string; close: () => void }> {
+  const server = createServer((_req, res) => {
+    if (respondAfterMs === null) return;
+    setTimeout(() => {
+      res.writeHead(200, { 'content-type': 'application/json' });
+      res.end('{"accounts":[]}');
+    }, respondAfterMs);
+  });
+  return new Promise((resolve) => {
+    server.listen(0, '127.0.0.1', () => {
+      const { port } = server.address() as AddressInfo;
+      resolve({
+        baseURL: `http://127.0.0.1:${port}/api`,
+        close: () => {
+          server.closeAllConnections();
+          server.close();
+        },
+      });
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+describe('Client timeout', () => {
+  it('rejects with a TimeoutError when the API does not answer within timeout', async () => {
+    const server = await startServer(null);
+    try {
+      const client = new Zernio({ apiKey: 'test', baseURL: server.baseURL, timeout: 200 });
+      const started = Date.now();
+      await expect(client.accounts.listAccounts({})).rejects.toMatchObject({ name: 'TimeoutError' });
+      expect(Date.now() - started).toBeLessThan(2000);
+    } finally {
+      server.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it('a per-call signal replaces the client timeout', async () => {
+    const server = await startServer(400);
+    try {
+      const client = new Zernio({ apiKey: 'test', baseURL: server.baseURL, timeout: 100 });
+      const { response } = await client.accounts.listAccounts({ signal: new AbortController().signal });
+      expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    } finally {
+      server.close();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it.each([0, Infinity])('timeout %s disables the timeout', async (timeout) => {
+    const server = await startServer(300);
+    try {
+      const client = new Zernio({ apiKey: 'test', baseURL: server.baseURL, timeout });
+      const { response } = await client.accounts.listAccounts({});
+      expect(response.status).toBe(200);
+    } finally {
+      server.close();
+    }
+  });
+});