diff --git a/defaults.toml b/defaults.toml
index 1e1e49b..3b2ad71 100644
--- a/defaults.toml
+++ b/defaults.toml
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ cache_capacity = 67108864
 export_path = "/mnt/exports"
 
 [media]
+external_validation_timeout = 30
 max_file_size = 40
 process_timeout = 30
 filters = [
diff --git a/src/config/commandline.rs b/src/config/commandline.rs
index dd1754e..310bab2 100644
--- a/src/config/commandline.rs
+++ b/src/config/commandline.rs
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ impl Args {
                 metrics_prometheus_address,
                 media_preprocess_steps,
                 media_external_validation,
+                media_external_validation_timeout,
                 media_max_file_size,
                 media_process_timeout,
                 media_retention_variants,
@@ -185,6 +186,7 @@ impl Args {
                     process_timeout: media_process_timeout,
                     preprocess_steps: media_preprocess_steps,
                     external_validation: media_external_validation,
+                    external_validation_timeout: media_external_validation_timeout,
                     filters: media_filters,
                     retention: retention.set(),
                     image: image.set(),
@@ -553,6 +555,8 @@ struct Media {
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     external_validation: Option<Url>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
+    external_validation_timeout: Option<u64>,
+    #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     filters: Option<Vec<String>>,
     #[serde(skip_serializing_if = "Option::is_none")]
     retention: Option<Retention>,
@@ -892,6 +896,10 @@ struct Run {
     #[arg(long)]
     media_external_validation: Option<Url>,
 
+    /// Timeout for requests to the external validation endpoint
+    #[arg(long)]
+    media_external_validation_timeout: Option<u64>,
+
     /// Which media filters should be enabled on the `process` endpoint
     #[arg(long)]
     media_filters: Option<Vec<String>>,
diff --git a/src/config/defaults.rs b/src/config/defaults.rs
index 935d5c9..bec933b 100644
--- a/src/config/defaults.rs
+++ b/src/config/defaults.rs
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ struct OpenTelemetryDefaults {
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, serde::Serialize)]
 #[serde(rename_all = "snake_case")]
 struct MediaDefaults {
+    external_validation_timeout: u64,
     max_file_size: usize,
     process_timeout: u64,
     filters: Vec<String>,
@@ -220,6 +221,7 @@ impl Default for OpenTelemetryDefaults {
 impl Default for MediaDefaults {
     fn default() -> Self {
         MediaDefaults {
+            external_validation_timeout: 30,
             max_file_size: 40,
             process_timeout: 30,
             filters: vec![
diff --git a/src/config/file.rs b/src/config/file.rs
index 26da6f3..df35c5a 100644
--- a/src/config/file.rs
+++ b/src/config/file.rs
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ pub(crate) struct OldDb {
 pub(crate) struct Media {
     pub(crate) external_validation: Option<Url>,
 
+    pub(crate) external_validation_timeout: u64,
+
     pub(crate) max_file_size: usize,
 
     pub(crate) process_timeout: u64,