diff --git a/pageserver/src/walredo/process/process_impl/process_async.rs b/pageserver/src/walredo/process/process_impl/process_async.rs
index 7d96e76848..d181cdcb14 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/walredo/process/process_impl/process_async.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/walredo/process/process_impl/process_async.rs
@@ -214,7 +214,11 @@ impl WalRedoProcess {
         protocol::build_get_page_msg(tag, &mut writebuf);
         WAL_REDO_RECORD_COUNTER.inc_by(records.len() as u64);
 
-        let res = self.apply_wal_records0(&writebuf).await;
+        let Ok(res) =
+            tokio::time::timeout(wal_redo_timeout, self.apply_wal_records0(&writebuf)).await
+        else {
+            anyhow::bail!("WAL redo timed out");
+        };
 
         if res.is_err() {
             // not all of these can be caused by this particular input, however these are so rare
@@ -227,7 +231,10 @@ impl WalRedoProcess {
 
     /// # Cancel-Safety
     ///
-    /// Cancellation safe (enforced through the use of [`utils::poison::Poison`]).
+    /// When not polled to completion (e.g. because in `tokio::select!` another
+    /// branch becomes ready before this future), concurrent and subsequent
+    /// calls may fail due to [`utils::poison::Poison::check_and_arm`] calls.
+    /// Dispose of this process instance and create a new one.
     async fn apply_wal_records0(&self, writebuf: &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<Bytes> {
         let request_no = {
             let mut lock_guard = self.stdin.lock().await;