diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/common/endpoint/types/actions.ts b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/common/endpoint/types/actions.ts
index be11ec3f99910..d49868aae9227 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/common/endpoint/types/actions.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/common/endpoint/types/actions.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ export interface EndpointAction {
   input_type: 'endpoint';
   agents: string[];
   user_id: string;
+  // the number of seconds Elastic Agent (on the host) should
+  // wait to send back an action result before it will timeout
+  timeout?: number;
   data: EndpointActionData;
 }
 
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.test.ts b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.test.ts
index d6660effde38c..2bfa5ae1aa3c4 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.test.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.test.ts
@@ -274,6 +274,14 @@ describe('Host Isolation', () => {
         actionID
       );
     });
+    it('records the timeout in the action payload', async () => {
+      const ctx = await callRoute(ISOLATE_HOST_ROUTE, {
+        body: { endpoint_ids: ['XYZ'] },
+      });
+      const actionDoc: EndpointAction = (ctx.core.elasticsearch.client.asCurrentUser
+        .index as jest.Mock).mock.calls[0][0].body;
+      expect(actionDoc.timeout).toEqual(300);
+    });
 
     it('succeeds when just an endpoint ID is provided', async () => {
       await callRoute(ISOLATE_HOST_ROUTE, { body: { endpoint_ids: ['XYZ'] } });
diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.ts b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.ts
index fceb45b17c258..45f0e851dfdd1 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/security_solution/server/endpoint/routes/actions/isolation.ts
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ export const isolationRequestHandler = function (
           input_type: 'endpoint',
           agents: endpointData.map((endpt: HostMetadata) => endpt.elastic.agent.id),
           user_id: user!.username,
+          timeout: 300, // 5 minutes
           data: {
             command: isolate ? 'isolate' : 'unisolate',
             comment: req.body.comment ?? undefined,