diff --git a/show-status.sh b/show-status.sh
index b2e8d10b..af190464 100755
--- a/show-status.sh
+++ b/show-status.sh
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ any_failure=false
 # Function to run the command and handle the result
 check_sync_status() {
     local part=$1
-    result=$("$BASEPATH/sync-status.sh" "${part%.yml}")
+    # Cap the whole per-node branch (belt-and-suspenders over check-health's own cap), so no single
+    # node can ever block the 'wait' below — that is what wedged the fleet rpc-update for hours.
+    result=$(timeout "${SYNC_TIMEOUT:-60}" "$BASEPATH/sync-status.sh" "${part%.yml}")
 
     code=0
     
diff --git a/sync-status.sh b/sync-status.sh
index 699a233d..1f0058ec 100755
--- a/sync-status.sh
+++ b/sync-status.sh
@@ -176,17 +176,22 @@ for path in $pathlist; do
             unset LAGGING_LAG SYNCING_LAG
         fi
 
-        # Call the health check script with RPC_URL, ref, and chain-type flag
+        # Call the health check script with RPC_URL, ref, and chain-type flag.
+        # HARD CAP each call: a single slow/unresponsive reference RPC must never hang the parallel
+        # fleet status sweep (show-status.sh waits on ALL of these). On timeout -> exit 124, reported.
+        HC_TIMEOUT="${HC_TIMEOUT:-30}"
         if $is_aztec; then
-            $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --aztec $ref
+            timeout "$HC_TIMEOUT" $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --aztec $ref
         elif $is_starknet; then
-            $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --starknet $ref
+            timeout "$HC_TIMEOUT" $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --starknet $ref
         elif $is_cosmos; then
-            $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --cosmos $ref
+            timeout "$HC_TIMEOUT" $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" --cosmos $ref
         else
-            $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" $ref
+            timeout "$HC_TIMEOUT" $BASEPATH/check-health.sh "$RPC_URL" $ref
         fi
-        exit $?
+        rc=$?
+        [ "$rc" -eq 124 ] && echo "timeout (health check exceeded ${HC_TIMEOUT}s)"
+        exit "$rc"
     fi
 done