diff --git a/plugins/memory/honcho/client.py b/plugins/memory/honcho/client.py
index 770b8b95cc..a13b89c25b 100644
--- a/plugins/memory/honcho/client.py
+++ b/plugins/memory/honcho/client.py
@@ -142,6 +142,15 @@ def _parse_dialectic_depth_levels(host_val, root_val, depth: int) -> list[str] |
     return None
 
 
+# Default HTTP timeout (seconds) applied when no explicit timeout is
+# configured via HonchoClientConfig.timeout, honcho.timeout / requestTimeout,
+# or HONCHO_TIMEOUT. Honcho calls happen on the post-response path of
+# run_conversation; without a cap the agent can block indefinitely when
+# the Honcho backend is unreachable, preventing the gateway from
+# delivering the already-generated response.
+_DEFAULT_HTTP_TIMEOUT = 30.0
+
+
 def _resolve_optional_float(*values: Any) -> float | None:
     """Return the first non-empty value coerced to a positive float."""
     for value in values:
@@ -697,6 +706,11 @@ def get_honcho_client(config: HonchoClientConfig | None = None) -> Honcho:
         except Exception:
             pass
 
+    # Fall back to the default so an unconfigured install cannot hang
+    # indefinitely on a stalled Honcho request.
+    if resolved_timeout is None:
+        resolved_timeout = _DEFAULT_HTTP_TIMEOUT
+
     if resolved_base_url:
         logger.info("Initializing Honcho client (base_url: %s, workspace: %s)", resolved_base_url, config.workspace_id)
     else:
diff --git a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_client.py b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_client.py
index 8b05ab199e..95180b2dce 100644
--- a/tests/honcho_plugin/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/honcho_plugin/test_client.py
@@ -600,6 +600,28 @@ class TestGetHonchoClient:
         mock_honcho.assert_called_once()
         assert mock_honcho.call_args.kwargs["timeout"] == 88.0
 
+    @pytest.mark.skipif(
+        not importlib.util.find_spec("honcho"),
+        reason="honcho SDK not installed"
+    )
+    def test_defaults_to_30s_when_no_timeout_configured(self):
+        from plugins.memory.honcho.client import _DEFAULT_HTTP_TIMEOUT
+
+        fake_honcho = MagicMock(name="Honcho")
+        cfg = HonchoClientConfig(
+            api_key="test-key",
+            workspace_id="hermes",
+            environment="production",
+        )
+
+        with patch("honcho.Honcho", return_value=fake_honcho) as mock_honcho, \
+             patch("hermes_cli.config.load_config", return_value={}):
+            client = get_honcho_client(cfg)
+
+        assert client is fake_honcho
+        mock_honcho.assert_called_once()
+        assert mock_honcho.call_args.kwargs["timeout"] == _DEFAULT_HTTP_TIMEOUT
+
     @pytest.mark.skipif(
         not importlib.util.find_spec("honcho"),
         reason="honcho SDK not installed"