diff --git a/WrenchCL/Connect/RdsServiceGateway.py b/WrenchCL/Connect/RdsServiceGateway.py
index 0bf6004..8268475 100644
--- a/WrenchCL/Connect/RdsServiceGateway.py
+++ b/WrenchCL/Connect/RdsServiceGateway.py
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ class RdsServiceGateway:
     """
 
     def __init__(
-        self, multithreaded: bool = False, min_pool_size: int = 1, max_pool_size: int = 10
+        self,
+        multithreaded: bool = False,
+        min_pool_size: int = 1,
+        max_pool_size: int = 10,
+        connect_timeout: int = 10,
     ):
         """
         Initializes the RdsServiceGateway by establishing a connection or connection pool
@@ -53,6 +57,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.test_mode = False
         self._min_pool_size = min_pool_size
         self._max_pool_size = max_pool_size
+        # libpq connect_timeout (seconds, min 2) so pool/connection construction fails
+        # fast instead of blocking forever when the DB is unreachable or saturated.
+        self._connect_timeout = max(2, int(connect_timeout))
         self.client_manager = AwsClientHub()
         self.config = self.client_manager.config
         self.db_uri = self.client_manager.db_uri
@@ -60,7 +67,10 @@ def __init__(
         if self.multithreaded:
             # Initialize a threaded connection pool using the URI
             self.pool: Optional[ThreadedConnectionPool] = ThreadedConnectionPool(
-                minconn=min_pool_size, maxconn=max_pool_size, dsn=self.db_uri
+                minconn=min_pool_size,
+                maxconn=max_pool_size,
+                dsn=self.db_uri,
+                connect_timeout=self._connect_timeout,
             )
         else:
             # Establish a single connection if multithreading is not enabled
@@ -86,11 +96,12 @@ def reconnect(self) -> None:
                 minconn=self._min_pool_size,
                 maxconn=self._max_pool_size,
                 dsn=self.db_uri,
+                connect_timeout=self._connect_timeout,
             )
             return
 
         psycopg2.extras.register_uuid()
-        new = psycopg2.connect(self.db_uri)
+        new = psycopg2.connect(self.db_uri, connect_timeout=self._connect_timeout)
         old = self.connection
         if old is not None and old is not new:
             try:
diff --git a/tests/test_connect.py b/tests/test_connect.py
index 7e37c47..d638b41 100644
--- a/tests/test_connect.py
+++ b/tests/test_connect.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def test_rds_single_reconnect_swaps_connection_and_skips_in_test_mode(mock_hub_c
 
     assert svc.connection is new_conn
     old_conn.close.assert_called_once_with()
-    mock_connect.assert_called_once_with("postgresql://u:p@h:5432/d")
+    mock_connect.assert_called_once_with("postgresql://u:p@h:5432/d", connect_timeout=10)
 
     svc.set_test_mode(True)
     svc.reconnect()
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ def test_rds_single_get_data_reconnects_once(mock_hub_cls, mock_connect):
     svc = RdsServiceGateway(multithreaded=False)
     assert svc.get_data("SELECT * FROM foo", payload=None) == [{"id": 1}]
 
-    mock_connect.assert_called_once_with("postgresql://u:p@h:5432/d")
+    mock_connect.assert_called_once_with("postgresql://u:p@h:5432/d", connect_timeout=10)
     old_conn.rollback.assert_called_once_with()
 
 
@@ -238,3 +238,42 @@ def test_rds_pool_get_data_returns_healthy_connection(mock_hub_cls, mock_pool_cl
 
     mock_pool.putconn.assert_called_once_with(healthy_conn, close=False)
     mock_pool.closeall.assert_not_called()
+
+
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+# connect_timeout — pool/connection construction must fail fast
+# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.ThreadedConnectionPool")
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.AwsClientHub")
+def test_rds_pool_uses_default_connect_timeout(mock_hub_cls, mock_pool_cls):
+    mock_hub_cls.return_value = _mock_rds_hub()
+    mock_pool_cls.return_value = MagicMock()
+
+    RdsServiceGateway(multithreaded=True)
+
+    assert mock_pool_cls.call_args.kwargs["connect_timeout"] == 10
+
+
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.ThreadedConnectionPool")
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.AwsClientHub")
+def test_rds_pool_honours_custom_connect_timeout(mock_hub_cls, mock_pool_cls):
+    mock_hub_cls.return_value = _mock_rds_hub()
+    mock_pool_cls.return_value = MagicMock()
+
+    RdsServiceGateway(multithreaded=True, min_pool_size=2, max_pool_size=100, connect_timeout=7)
+
+    assert mock_pool_cls.call_args.kwargs["connect_timeout"] == 7
+
+
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.ThreadedConnectionPool")
+@patch("WrenchCL.Connect.RdsServiceGateway.AwsClientHub")
+def test_rds_pool_connect_timeout_floored_at_libpq_minimum(mock_hub_cls, mock_pool_cls):
+    mock_hub_cls.return_value = _mock_rds_hub()
+    mock_pool_cls.return_value = MagicMock()
+
+    # libpq rejects connect_timeout < 2; values below are coerced up to the floor.
+    RdsServiceGateway(multithreaded=True, connect_timeout=0)
+
+    assert mock_pool_cls.call_args.kwargs["connect_timeout"] == 2