diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
index 4694ebc4..01746a77 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/client_utils.py
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         self._ipython_registry: dict[str, RPCReference] = {}
         self.available_widgets = AvailableWidgetsNamespace()
         register_serializer_extension()
+        self._rpc_timeout = 5
 
     ####################
     #### Client API ####
@@ -232,6 +233,16 @@ class BECGuiClient(RPCBase):
         """The launcher object."""
         return RPCBase(gui_id=f"{self._gui_id}:launcher", parent=self, object_name="launcher")
 
+    def set_rpc_timeout(self, timeout: float):
+        """Set the timeout for RPC calls to the GUI server.
+
+        Args:
+            timeout(float): The timeout in seconds.
+        """
+        if not isinstance(timeout, (int, float)) or timeout < 0:
+            raise ValueError("Timeout must be a non-negative number.")
+        self._rpc_timeout = timeout
+
     def _safe_register_stream(self, endpoint: EndpointInfo, cb: Callable, **kwargs):
         """Check if already registered for registration in idempotent functions."""
         if not self._client.connector.any_stream_is_registered(endpoint, cb=cb):
diff --git a/bec_widgets/cli/rpc/rpc_base.py b/bec_widgets/cli/rpc/rpc_base.py
index deceb383..a89bbdd8 100644
--- a/bec_widgets/cli/rpc/rpc_base.py
+++ b/bec_widgets/cli/rpc/rpc_base.py
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ else:
 
 # pylint: disable=protected-access
 
+_DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT = object()
+
 
 def _name_arg(arg):
     if isinstance(arg, DeviceBaseWithConfig):
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ class RPCReference:
 
 
 class RPCBase:
+
     def __init__(
         self,
         gui_id: str | None = None,
@@ -211,8 +214,8 @@ class RPCBase:
         self,
         method,
         *args,
-        wait_for_rpc_response=True,
-        timeout=5,
+        wait_for_rpc_response: bool = True,
+        timeout: float | None | object = _DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT,
         gui_id: str | None = None,
         **kwargs,
     ) -> Any:
@@ -223,13 +226,16 @@ class RPCBase:
             method: The method to call.
             args: The arguments to pass to the method.
             wait_for_rpc_response: Whether to wait for the RPC response.
-            timeout: The timeout for the RPC response.
+            timeout: The timeout for the RPC response. If omitted, the client's default RPC
+                timeout is used. If explicitly set to None, wait indefinitely.
             gui_id: The GUI ID to use for the RPC call. If None, the default GUI ID is used.
             kwargs: The keyword arguments to pass to the method.
 
         Returns:
             The result of the RPC call.
         """
+        if timeout is _DEFAULT_RPC_TIMEOUT:
+            timeout = self._root._rpc_timeout
         if method in ["show", "hide", "raise"] and gui_id is None:
             obj = self._root._server_registry.get(self._gui_id)
             if obj is None:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
index 516bc34b..08795a7c 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_client_utils.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import pytest
 
 from bec_widgets.cli.client import BECDockArea
 from bec_widgets.cli.client_utils import BECGuiClient, _start_plot_process
+from bec_widgets.cli.rpc.rpc_base import RPCBase, RPCResponseTimeoutError, rpc_timeout
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -257,3 +258,11 @@ def test_client_utils_delete_falls_back_to_direct_close():
         gui.delete("dock")
 
     widget._run_rpc.assert_called_once_with("close")
+
+
+def test_client_utils_gui_client_set_rpc_timeout():
+    gui = BECGuiClient()
+    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 5
+
+    gui.set_rpc_timeout(10)
+    assert gui._rpc_timeout == 10