diff --git a/packages/aws/src/s3.ts b/packages/aws/src/s3.ts
index 46d82c0966e..81014d63f7d 100644
--- a/packages/aws/src/s3.ts
+++ b/packages/aws/src/s3.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import { randomStr } from '@atproto/crypto'
 import { CID } from 'multiformats/cid'
 import stream from 'stream'
 
-export type S3Config = { bucket: string } & Omit<
+export type S3Config = { bucket: string; uploadTimeoutMs?: number } & Omit<
   aws.S3ClientConfig,
   'apiVersion'
 >
@@ -16,13 +16,15 @@ export type S3Config = { bucket: string } & Omit<
 export class S3BlobStore implements BlobStore {
   private client: aws.S3
   private bucket: string
+  private uploadTimeoutMs: number
 
   constructor(
     public did: string,
     cfg: S3Config,
   ) {
-    const { bucket, ...rest } = cfg
+    const { bucket, uploadTimeoutMs, ...rest } = cfg
     this.bucket = bucket
+    this.uploadTimeoutMs = uploadTimeoutMs ?? 10000
     this.client = new aws.S3({
       ...rest,
       apiVersion: '2006-03-01',
@@ -53,12 +55,13 @@ export class S3BlobStore implements BlobStore {
 
   async putTemp(bytes: Uint8Array | stream.Readable): Promise<string> {
     const key = this.genKey()
+    // @NOTE abort results in error from aws-sdk "Upload aborted." with name "AbortError"
     const abortController = new AbortController()
     const timeout = setTimeout(
-      () => abortController.abort('upload timed out'),
-      10000,
+      () => abortController.abort(),
+      this.uploadTimeoutMs,
     )
-    await new Upload({
+    const upload = new Upload({
       client: this.client,
       params: {
         Bucket: this.bucket,
@@ -67,8 +70,12 @@ export class S3BlobStore implements BlobStore {
       },
       // @ts-ignore native implementation fine in node >=15
       abortController,
-    }).done()
-    clearTimeout(timeout)
+    })
+    try {
+      await upload.done()
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeout)
+    }
     return key
   }
 
@@ -89,14 +96,27 @@ export class S3BlobStore implements BlobStore {
     cid: CID,
     bytes: Uint8Array | stream.Readable,
   ): Promise<void> {
-    await new Upload({
+    // @NOTE abort results in error from aws-sdk "Upload aborted." with name "AbortError"
+    const abortController = new AbortController()
+    const timeout = setTimeout(
+      () => abortController.abort(),
+      this.uploadTimeoutMs,
+    )
+    const upload = new Upload({
       client: this.client,
       params: {
         Bucket: this.bucket,
         Body: bytes,
         Key: this.getStoredPath(cid),
       },
-    }).done()
+      // @ts-ignore native implementation fine in node >=15
+      abortController,
+    })
+    try {
+      await upload.done()
+    } finally {
+      clearTimeout(timeout)
+    }
   }
 
   async quarantine(cid: CID): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/api/com/atproto/repo/uploadBlob.ts b/packages/pds/src/api/com/atproto/repo/uploadBlob.ts
index 494a9fe0196..94b717381ca 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/api/com/atproto/repo/uploadBlob.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/api/com/atproto/repo/uploadBlob.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
+import { DAY } from '@atproto/common'
+import { UpstreamTimeoutError } from '@atproto/xrpc-server'
 import { Server } from '../../../../lexicon'
 import AppContext from '../../../../context'
-import { DAY } from '@atproto/common'
+import { BlobMetadata } from '../../../../actor-store/blob/transactor'
 
 export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
   server.com.atproto.repo.uploadBlob({
@@ -15,10 +17,20 @@ export default function (server: Server, ctx: AppContext) {
       const blob = await ctx.actorStore.writeNoTransaction(
         requester,
         async (store) => {
-          const metadata = await store.repo.blob.uploadBlobAndGetMetadata(
-            input.encoding,
-            input.body,
-          )
+          let metadata: BlobMetadata
+          try {
+            metadata = await store.repo.blob.uploadBlobAndGetMetadata(
+              input.encoding,
+              input.body,
+            )
+          } catch (err) {
+            if (err?.['name'] === 'AbortError') {
+              throw new UpstreamTimeoutError(
+                'Upload timed out, please try again.',
+              )
+            }
+            throw err
+          }
 
           return store.transact(async (actorTxn) => {
             const blobRef =
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts b/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
index 355b02cab7d..fb6efbebbc6 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/config/config.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ export const envToCfg = (env: ServerEnvironment): ServerConfig => {
     blobstoreCfg = {
       provider: 's3',
       bucket: env.blobstoreS3Bucket,
+      uploadTimeoutMs: env.blobstoreS3UploadTimeoutMs || 20000,
       region: env.blobstoreS3Region,
       endpoint: env.blobstoreS3Endpoint,
       forcePathStyle: env.blobstoreS3ForcePathStyle,
@@ -305,6 +306,7 @@ export type S3BlobstoreConfig = {
   region?: string
   endpoint?: string
   forcePathStyle?: boolean
+  uploadTimeoutMs?: number
   credentials?: {
     accessKeyId: string
     secretAccessKey: string
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/config/env.ts b/packages/pds/src/config/env.ts
index f7b9849a1a9..e94c84baeb9 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/config/env.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/config/env.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export const readEnv = (): ServerEnvironment => {
     blobstoreS3ForcePathStyle: envBool('PDS_BLOBSTORE_S3_FORCE_PATH_STYLE'),
     blobstoreS3AccessKeyId: envStr('PDS_BLOBSTORE_S3_ACCESS_KEY_ID'),
     blobstoreS3SecretAccessKey: envStr('PDS_BLOBSTORE_S3_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY'),
+    blobstoreS3UploadTimeoutMs: envInt('PDS_BLOBSTORE_S3_UPLOAD_TIMEOUT_MS'),
     // disk
     blobstoreDiskLocation: envStr('PDS_BLOBSTORE_DISK_LOCATION'),
     blobstoreDiskTmpLocation: envStr('PDS_BLOBSTORE_DISK_TMP_LOCATION'),
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ export type ServerEnvironment = {
   blobstoreS3ForcePathStyle?: boolean
   blobstoreS3AccessKeyId?: string
   blobstoreS3SecretAccessKey?: string
+  blobstoreS3UploadTimeoutMs?: number
 
   // identity
   didPlcUrl?: string
diff --git a/packages/pds/src/context.ts b/packages/pds/src/context.ts
index 7da2ac980ea..021fbe2e39a 100644
--- a/packages/pds/src/context.ts
+++ b/packages/pds/src/context.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ export class AppContext {
             endpoint: cfg.blobstore.endpoint,
             forcePathStyle: cfg.blobstore.forcePathStyle,
             credentials: cfg.blobstore.credentials,
+            uploadTimeoutMs: cfg.blobstore.uploadTimeoutMs,
           })
         : DiskBlobStore.creator(
             cfg.blobstore.location,