diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 46e4db0..ca1131a 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ Full production runbook:
   - verify `PUBLIC_BASE_URL` is public/reachable from the internet (not `localhost` in production)
   - for image posts, upload JPEG or PNG (`.jpg` / `.jpeg` / `.png`)
   - for video posts, use MP4 or MOV
-  - media uploads are capped at 512 MiB
+  - media uploads are capped at 512 MiB and must finish within 15 minutes
 - CLI auth errors:
   - verify `POSTFLOW_API_TOKEN` matches server `API_TOKEN`
 
diff --git a/docs/specs/openapi.yaml b/docs/specs/openapi.yaml
index c35ab3a..769140a 100644
--- a/docs/specs/openapi.yaml
+++ b/docs/specs/openapi.yaml
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ paths:
   /media:
     post:
       summary: Upload a media file
-      description: Uploads are capped at 512 MiB.
+      description: Uploads are capped at 512 MiB and must finish within 15 minutes.
       requestBody:
         required: true
         content:
diff --git a/internal/api/api.go b/internal/api/api.go
index 587f795..7cab410 100644
--- a/internal/api/api.go
+++ b/internal/api/api.go
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ func (s Server) appVersion() string {
 }
 
 func (s Server) handleUploadMedia(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	extendUploadDeadlines(w)
 	upload, status, err := s.saveUploadToDisk(r)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, status, err)
diff --git a/internal/api/middleware.go b/internal/api/middleware.go
index f2d0da0..f507a9e 100644
--- a/internal/api/middleware.go
+++ b/internal/api/middleware.go
@@ -411,6 +411,11 @@ func (r *responseRecorder) WriteHeader(statusCode int) {
 	r.ResponseWriter.WriteHeader(statusCode)
 }
 
+// Unwrap lets http.ResponseController reach the connection, for per-route deadlines.
+func (r *responseRecorder) Unwrap() http.ResponseWriter {
+	return r.ResponseWriter
+}
+
 func generateRequestID() string {
 	var b [12]byte
 	if _, err := rand.Read(b[:]); err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/api/upload_deadline_test.go b/internal/api/upload_deadline_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d25d789
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/api/upload_deadline_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+package api
+
+import (
+	"io"
+	"mime/multipart"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/antoniolg/postflow/internal/db"
+)
+
+// A slow upload must outlive the server-wide timeouts, which stay short for every other route.
+func TestUploadMediaOutlivesServerTimeouts(t *testing.T) {
+	tempDir := t.TempDir()
+	store, err := db.Open(filepath.Join(tempDir, "test.db"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("open db: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer store.Close()
+
+	srv := Server{Store: store, DataDir: tempDir, DefaultMaxRetries: 3}
+	ts := httptest.NewUnstartedServer(srv.Handler())
+	// Same shape as cmd/postflow-server, scaled down so the test stays fast.
+	ts.Config.ReadTimeout = 100 * time.Millisecond
+	ts.Config.WriteTimeout = 200 * time.Millisecond
+	ts.Start()
+	defer ts.Close()
+
+	pr, pw := io.Pipe()
+	writer := multipart.NewWriter(pw)
+	go func() {
+		part, err := writer.CreateFormFile("file", "clip.mp4")
+		if err != nil {
+			pw.CloseWithError(err)
+			return
+		}
+		_, _ = part.Write([]byte("first half "))
+		time.Sleep(400 * time.Millisecond) // longer than both server timeouts
+		_, _ = part.Write([]byte("second half"))
+		_ = writer.Close()
+		_ = pw.Close()
+	}()
+
+	resp, err := http.Post(ts.URL+"/media", writer.FormDataContentType(), pr)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("upload was cut off by the server timeouts: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode != http.StatusCreated {
+		body, _ := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+		t.Fatalf("expected 201, got %d: %s", resp.StatusCode, body)
+	}
+
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(filepath.Join(tempDir, "media"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read media dir: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(entries) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected the uploaded file on disk, found %d entries", len(entries))
+	}
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tempDir, "media", entries[0].Name()))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("read uploaded file: %v", err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != "first half second half" {
+		t.Fatalf("uploaded file is incomplete: %q", got)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/api/upload_stream.go b/internal/api/upload_stream.go
index 3968200..a1bb8ad 100644
--- a/internal/api/upload_stream.go
+++ b/internal/api/upload_stream.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/antoniolg/postflow/internal/db"
 )
@@ -17,10 +18,22 @@ import (
 const (
 	maxUploadFieldBytes  = 8 << 10
 	uploadCopyBufferSize = 256 << 10
+	// mediaUploadWindow is how long POST /media may take. The server-wide timeouts are
+	// meant for small requests: at 10 MB/s, the 15 s read timeout stops at about 150 MB.
+	mediaUploadWindow = 15 * time.Minute
 )
 
 var maxMediaUploadBytes int64 = 512 << 20
 
+// extendUploadDeadlines gives this request mediaUploadWindow to send the file and get its
+// response. The call fails only for writers without deadlines, such as test recorders.
+func extendUploadDeadlines(w http.ResponseWriter) {
+	rc := http.NewResponseController(w)
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(mediaUploadWindow)
+	_ = rc.SetReadDeadline(deadline)
+	_ = rc.SetWriteDeadline(deadline)
+}
+
 type mediaUpload struct {
 	MediaID      string
 	Kind         string