diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index def3a598d..a6ccbc4d6 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ dev = [
     "pytest-asyncio",
     "pytest-forked",
     "pytest-markdown-docs",
+    "pytest-timeout",
     "ruff",
     "sphinx-autobuild",
     "sphinx-copybutton",
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ addopts = """
 # filterwarnings = "error"
 # Doctest python code in docs, python code in src docstrings, test functions in tests
 testpaths = "docs src tests"
+timeout = 1
 
 [tool.coverage.run]
 data_file = "/tmp/fastcs.coverage"
diff --git a/tests/test_docs_snippets.py b/tests/test_docs_snippets.py
index 3d2aaaf5c..799613235 100644
--- a/tests/test_docs_snippets.py
+++ b/tests/test_docs_snippets.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ def sim_temperature_controller():
     print(process.communicate()[0])
 
 
+@pytest.mark.timeout(3)
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("filename", glob.glob("docs/snippets/*.py", recursive=True))
 def test_snippet(filename):
     runpy.run_path(filename)
diff --git a/tests/transport/epics/ca/test_softioc_system.py b/tests/transport/epics/ca/test_softioc_system.py
index bda71d54d..c823352a9 100644
--- a/tests/transport/epics/ca/test_softioc_system.py
+++ b/tests/transport/epics/ca/test_softioc_system.py
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 from multiprocessing import Queue
 
+import pytest
 from p4p import Value
 from p4p.client.thread import Context
 
 
+@pytest.mark.timeout(3)
 def test_ioc(softioc_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
     pv_prefix, _ = softioc_subprocess
     ctxt = Context("pva")
diff --git a/tests/transport/epics/pva/test_p4p.py b/tests/transport/epics/pva/test_p4p.py
index 2c2ed855c..9ad4ec42c 100644
--- a/tests/transport/epics/pva/test_p4p.py
+++ b/tests/transport/epics/pva/test_p4p.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.timeout(2)
 async def test_ioc(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
     pv_prefix, _ = p4p_subprocess
     ctxt = Context("pva")
@@ -74,6 +75,7 @@ async def test_ioc(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.timeout(5)
 async def test_scan_method(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
     pv_prefix, _ = p4p_subprocess
     ctxt = Context("pva")
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ async def test_scan_method(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.timeout(2)
 async def test_command_method(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
     pv_prefix, _ = p4p_subprocess
     d_values = asyncio.Queue()
@@ -174,6 +177,7 @@ async def test_command_method(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
+@pytest.mark.timeout(2)
 async def test_numerical_alarms(p4p_subprocess: tuple[str, Queue]):
     pv_prefix, _ = p4p_subprocess
     a_values = asyncio.Queue()
@@ -535,6 +539,7 @@ async def _wait_and_put_pvs():
             )
 
 
+@pytest.mark.timeout(4)
 def test_command_method_put_twice(caplog):
     class SomeController(Controller):
         command_runs_for_a_while_times = []