diff --git a/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-set.go b/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-set.go
index 8ec95d1462312e..29cb566a1d0a15 100644
--- a/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-set.go
+++ b/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-set.go
@@ -45,13 +45,15 @@ For example: 30m or 1h`,
 		if err != nil {
 			return GpError{Err: err, OutCome: utils.Outcome_UserErr, ErrorCode: utils.UserErrorCode_InvalidArguments}
 		}
-		if _, err = client.SetWorkspaceTimeout(ctx, wsInfo.WorkspaceId, duration); err != nil {
+
+		res, err := client.SetWorkspaceTimeout(ctx, wsInfo.WorkspaceId, duration)
+		if err != nil {
 			if err, ok := err.(*jsonrpc2.Error); ok && err.Code == serverapi.PLAN_PROFESSIONAL_REQUIRED {
 				return GpError{OutCome: utils.Outcome_UserErr, Message: "Cannot extend workspace timeout for current plan, please upgrade your plan", ErrorCode: utils.UserErrorCode_NeedUpgradePlan}
 			}
 			return err
 		}
-		fmt.Printf("Workspace timeout has been set to %d minutes.\n", int(duration.Minutes()))
+		fmt.Printf("Workspace timeout has been set to %s.\n", res.HumanReadableDuration)
 		return nil
 	},
 }
diff --git a/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-show.go b/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-show.go
index cefcf84c9ca664..5c7732ab25beac 100644
--- a/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-show.go
+++ b/components/gitpod-cli/cmd/timeout-show.go
@@ -38,11 +38,7 @@ var showTimeoutCommand = &cobra.Command{
 			return err
 		}
 
-		duration, err := time.ParseDuration(res.Duration)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		fmt.Printf("Workspace timeout is set to %d minutes.\n", int(duration.Minutes()))
+		fmt.Printf("Workspace timeout is set to %s.\n", res.HumanReadableDuration)
 		return nil
 	},
 }
diff --git a/components/gitpod-protocol/go/gitpod-service.go b/components/gitpod-protocol/go/gitpod-service.go
index 6763ca5326432e..441f07197b0163 100644
--- a/components/gitpod-protocol/go/gitpod-service.go
+++ b/components/gitpod-protocol/go/gitpod-service.go
@@ -1898,8 +1898,9 @@ type StartWorkspaceOptions struct {
 
 // GetWorkspaceTimeoutResult is the GetWorkspaceTimeoutResult message type
 type GetWorkspaceTimeoutResult struct {
-	CanChange bool   `json:"canChange,omitempty"`
-	Duration  string `json:"duration,omitempty"`
+	CanChange             bool   `json:"canChange,omitempty"`
+	Duration              string `json:"duration,omitempty"`
+	HumanReadableDuration string `json:"humanReadableDuration,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // WorkspaceInstancePort is the WorkspaceInstancePort message type
diff --git a/components/gitpod-protocol/src/gitpod-service.ts b/components/gitpod-protocol/src/gitpod-service.ts
index d9ac3e857aa437..714a5aceeb81b7 100644
--- a/components/gitpod-protocol/src/gitpod-service.ts
+++ b/components/gitpod-protocol/src/gitpod-service.ts
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ export interface SetWorkspaceTimeoutResult {
 export interface GetWorkspaceTimeoutResult {
     duration: WorkspaceTimeoutDuration;
     canChange: boolean;
+    humanReadableDuration: string;
 }
 
 export interface StartWorkspaceResult {
diff --git a/components/server/ee/src/workspace/gitpod-server-impl.ts b/components/server/ee/src/workspace/gitpod-server-impl.ts
index 161dcf63e6d837..a9da9d0b643a3d 100644
--- a/components/server/ee/src/workspace/gitpod-server-impl.ts
+++ b/components/server/ee/src/workspace/gitpod-server-impl.ts
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ export class GitpodServerEEImpl extends GitpodServerImpl {
         if (!runningInstance) {
             log.warn({ userId: user.id, workspaceId }, "Can only get keep-alive for running workspaces");
             const duration = WORKSPACE_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT_SHORT;
-            return { duration, canChange };
+            return { duration, canChange, humanReadableDuration: this.goDurationToHumanReadable(duration) };
         }
         await this.guardAccess({ kind: "workspaceInstance", subject: runningInstance, workspace: workspace }, "get");
 
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ export class GitpodServerEEImpl extends GitpodServerImpl {
         const desc = await client.describeWorkspace(ctx, req);
         const duration = desc.getStatus()!.getSpec()!.getTimeout();
 
-        return { duration, canChange };
+        return { duration, canChange, humanReadableDuration: this.goDurationToHumanReadable(duration) };
     }
 
     public async isPrebuildDone(ctx: TraceContext, pwsId: string): Promise<boolean> {