diff --git a/api/services/billing_service.py b/api/services/billing_service.py
index aef5ae2f02b..0ac38c9257b 100644
--- a/api/services/billing_service.py
+++ b/api/services/billing_service.py
@@ -21,7 +21,10 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 _http_client: httpx.Client = get_pooled_http_client(
     "billing:default",
-    lambda: httpx.Client(limits=httpx.Limits(max_keepalive_connections=50, max_connections=100)),
+    lambda: httpx.Client(
+        timeout=httpx.Timeout(30.0, connect=5.0),
+        limits=httpx.Limits(max_keepalive_connections=50, max_connections=100),
+    ),
 )
 
 
diff --git a/api/tests/unit_tests/services/test_billing_service.py b/api/tests/unit_tests/services/test_billing_service.py
index a8d405ae8a3..349e81ba1f1 100644
--- a/api/tests/unit_tests/services/test_billing_service.py
+++ b/api/tests/unit_tests/services/test_billing_service.py
@@ -2055,3 +2055,17 @@ class TestBillingServiceSubscriptionInfoDataType:
 
         with pytest.raises(ValidationError):
             BillingService.get_info("tenant-type-test")
+
+
+def test_pooled_billing_client_carries_bounded_timeout() -> None:
+    """Regression for #39874: the pooled billing client must carry a
+    read/connect timeout so a stalled Stripe / cloud-billing proxy
+    fails fast instead of pinning a worker. Same shape as the
+    JinaReader / WaterCrawl hardening that landed in PR #39860 and #39824.
+    """
+    import services.billing_service as billing_service_module
+
+    client = billing_service_module._http_client
+    assert client.timeout is not None
+    assert client.timeout.read == 30.0
+    assert client.timeout.connect == 5.0