diff --git a/contrib/pyln-testing/pyln/testing/utils.py b/contrib/pyln-testing/pyln/testing/utils.py
index 2317c96c315f..15718a66d838 100644
--- a/contrib/pyln-testing/pyln/testing/utils.py
+++ b/contrib/pyln-testing/pyln/testing/utils.py
@@ -364,8 +364,9 @@ class SimpleBitcoinProxy:
     throwaway connections. This is easier than to reach into the RPC
     library to close, reopen and reauth upon failure.
     """
-    def __init__(self, btc_conf_file, *args, **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, btc_conf_file, timeout=TIMEOUT, *args, **kwargs):
         self.__btc_conf_file__ = btc_conf_file
+        self.__timeout__ = timeout
 
     def __getattr__(self, name):
         if name.startswith('__') and name.endswith('__'):
@@ -373,7 +374,8 @@ def __getattr__(self, name):
             raise AttributeError
 
         # Create a callable to do the actual call
-        proxy = BitcoinProxy(btc_conf_file=self.__btc_conf_file__)
+        proxy = BitcoinProxy(btc_conf_file=self.__btc_conf_file__,
+                             timeout=self.__timeout__)
 
         def f(*args):
             logging.debug("Calling {name} with arguments {args}".format(