diff --git a/electrum/interface.py b/electrum/interface.py
index fc6ddfc08..53ce4fde2 100644
--- a/electrum/interface.py
+++ b/electrum/interface.py
@@ -52,6 +52,17 @@ if TYPE_CHECKING:
 ca_path = certifi.where()
 
 
+class NetworkTimeout:
+    # seconds
+    class Generic:
+        NORMAL = 30
+        RELAXED = 45
+        MOST_RELAXED = 180
+    class Urgent(Generic):
+        NORMAL = 10
+        RELAXED = 20
+        MOST_RELAXED = 60
+
 class NotificationSession(RPCSession):
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
@@ -59,6 +70,7 @@ class NotificationSession(RPCSession):
         self.subscriptions = defaultdict(list)
         self.cache = {}
         self.in_flight_requests_semaphore = asyncio.Semaphore(100)
+        self.default_timeout = NetworkTimeout.Generic.NORMAL
 
     async def handle_request(self, request):
         # note: if server sends malformed request and we raise, the superclass
@@ -76,7 +88,7 @@ class NotificationSession(RPCSession):
     async def send_request(self, *args, timeout=None, **kwargs):
         # note: the timeout starts after the request touches the wire!
         if timeout is None:
-            timeout = 30
+            timeout = self.default_timeout
         # note: the semaphore implementation guarantees no starvation
         async with self.in_flight_requests_semaphore:
             try:
@@ -327,9 +339,9 @@ class Interface(PrintError):
             return None
 
     async def get_block_header(self, height, assert_mode):
-        # use lower timeout as we usually have network.bhi_lock here
         self.print_error('requesting block header {} in mode {}'.format(height, assert_mode))
-        timeout = 5 if not self.proxy else 10
+        # use lower timeout as we usually have network.bhi_lock here
+        timeout = self.network.get_network_timeout_seconds(NetworkTimeout.Urgent)
         res = await self.session.send_request('blockchain.block.header', [height], timeout=timeout)
         return blockchain.deserialize_header(bytes.fromhex(res), height)
 
@@ -358,6 +370,7 @@ class Interface(PrintError):
                                      host=self.host, port=self.port,
                                      ssl=sslc, proxy=self.proxy) as session:
             self.session = session  # type: NotificationSession
+            self.session.default_timeout = self.network.get_network_timeout_seconds(NetworkTimeout.Generic)
             try:
                 ver = await session.send_request('server.version', [ELECTRUM_VERSION, PROTOCOL_VERSION])
             except aiorpcx.jsonrpc.RPCError as e:
diff --git a/electrum/network.py b/electrum/network.py
index e089c8e6f..1704e0385 100644
--- a/electrum/network.py
+++ b/electrum/network.py
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ from . import constants
 from . import blockchain
 from . import bitcoin
 from .blockchain import Blockchain, HEADER_SIZE
-from .interface import Interface, serialize_server, deserialize_server, RequestTimedOut
+from .interface import (Interface, serialize_server, deserialize_server,
+                        RequestTimedOut, NetworkTimeout)
 from .version import PROTOCOL_VERSION
 from .simple_config import SimpleConfig
 
@@ -649,11 +650,18 @@ class Network(PrintError):
         await self._close_interface(interface)
         self.trigger_callback('network_updated')
 
+    def get_network_timeout_seconds(self, request_type=NetworkTimeout.Generic) -> int:
+        if self.oneserver and not self.auto_connect:
+            return request_type.MOST_RELAXED
+        if self.proxy:
+            return request_type.RELAXED
+        return request_type.NORMAL
+
     @ignore_exceptions  # do not kill main_taskgroup
     @log_exceptions
     async def _run_new_interface(self, server):
         interface = Interface(self, server, self.proxy)
-        timeout = 10 if not self.proxy else 20
+        timeout = self.get_network_timeout_seconds(NetworkTimeout.Urgent)
         try:
             await asyncio.wait_for(interface.ready, timeout)
         except BaseException as e:
@@ -724,7 +732,9 @@ class Network(PrintError):
         return await self.interface.session.send_request('blockchain.transaction.get_merkle', [tx_hash, tx_height])
 
     @best_effort_reliable
-    async def broadcast_transaction(self, tx, *, timeout=10):
+    async def broadcast_transaction(self, tx, *, timeout=None):
+        if timeout is None:
+            timeout = self.get_network_timeout_seconds(NetworkTimeout.Urgent)
         out = await self.interface.session.send_request('blockchain.transaction.broadcast', [str(tx)], timeout=timeout)
         if out != tx.txid():
             raise Exception(out)