diff --git a/packages/builder/src/stores/builder/automations.js b/packages/builder/src/stores/builder/automations.js
index a31b05a8d8..cbe48cef33 100644
--- a/packages/builder/src/stores/builder/automations.js
+++ b/packages/builder/src/stores/builder/automations.js
@@ -166,10 +166,16 @@ const automationActions = store => ({
     await store.actions.save(newAutomation)
   },
   test: async (automation, testData) => {
-    const result = await API.testAutomation({
-      automationId: automation?._id,
-      testData,
-    })
+    let result
+    try {
+      result = await API.testAutomation({
+        automationId: automation?._id,
+        testData,
+      })
+    } catch (err) {
+      const message = err.message || err.status || JSON.stringify(err)
+      throw `Automation test failed - ${message}`
+    }
     if (!result?.trigger && !result?.steps?.length) {
       if (result?.err?.code === "usage_limit_exceeded") {
         throw "You have exceeded your automation quota"
diff --git a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
index b986b5232b..5b199341b1 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/api/controllers/automation.ts
@@ -279,8 +279,7 @@ export async function trigger(ctx: UserCtx) {
       {
         fields: ctx.request.body.fields,
         timeout:
-          ctx.request.body.timeout * 1000 ||
-          env.getDefaults().AUTOMATION_SYNC_TIMEOUT,
+          ctx.request.body.timeout * 1000 || env.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT,
       },
       { getResponses: true }
     )
diff --git a/packages/server/src/environment.ts b/packages/server/src/environment.ts
index d9d299d5fa..2c91f1cb48 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/environment.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/environment.ts
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ function parseIntSafe(number?: string) {
 
 const DEFAULTS = {
   QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT: 15000,
-  AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT: 12000,
+  AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT: 15000,
   AUTOMATION_SYNC_TIMEOUT: 120000,
   AUTOMATION_MAX_ITERATIONS: 200,
   JS_PER_EXECUTION_TIME_LIMIT_MS: 1500,
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ const DEFAULTS = {
 const QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT =
   parseIntSafe(process.env.QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT) ||
   DEFAULTS.QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT
+const DEFAULT_AUTOMATION_TIMEOUT =
+  QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT > DEFAULTS.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT
+    ? QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT
+    : DEFAULTS.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT
 const environment = {
   // features
   APP_FEATURES: process.env.APP_FEATURES,
@@ -75,9 +79,7 @@ const environment = {
   QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT: QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT,
   AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT:
     parseIntSafe(process.env.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT) ||
-    DEFAULTS.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT > QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT
-      ? DEFAULTS.AUTOMATION_THREAD_TIMEOUT
-      : QUERY_THREAD_TIMEOUT,
+    DEFAULT_AUTOMATION_TIMEOUT,
   BB_ADMIN_USER_EMAIL: process.env.BB_ADMIN_USER_EMAIL,
   BB_ADMIN_USER_PASSWORD: process.env.BB_ADMIN_USER_PASSWORD,
   PLUGINS_DIR: process.env.PLUGINS_DIR || DEFAULTS.PLUGINS_DIR,