diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
index 21276773..551e41b8 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         self._ipython_registry: dict[str, RPCReference] = {}
         self.available_widgets = AvailableWidgetsNamespace()
         register_serializer_extension()
-        self._rpc_timeout = 5
+        self._rpc_timeout = 60
 
     ####################
     #### Client API ####
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
index 30f0a5da..3c489b8a 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ def test_client_utils_delete_falls_back_to_direct_close():
 
 def test_client_utils_gui_client_set_rpc_timeout():
     gui = BECGuiClient()
-    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 5
+    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 60
 
     gui.set_rpc_timeout(10)
     assert gui._rpc_timeout == 10