diff --git a/lib/Config/Initializer.php b/lib/Config/Initializer.php
index 5e2a7a3db0..73c93e5d4b 100644
--- a/lib/Config/Initializer.php
+++ b/lib/Config/Initializer.php
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class Initializer {
     \ORM::configure('logging', WP_DEBUG);
     \ORM::configure('driver_options', array(
       \PDO::MYSQL_ATTR_INIT_COMMAND =>
-        'SET TIME_ZONE = "' . Env::$db_timezone_offset . '", ' .
+        'SET SESSION wait_timeout = 60, ' .
+        'TIME_ZONE = "' . Env::$db_timezone_offset . '", ' .
         'sql_mode=(SELECT REPLACE(@@sql_mode,"ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY",""))'
     ));
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/Config/InitializerTest.php b/tests/unit/Config/InitializerTest.php
index 985b4cbaab..f652927429 100644
--- a/tests/unit/Config/InitializerTest.php
+++ b/tests/unit/Config/InitializerTest.php
@@ -8,13 +8,16 @@ class InitializerTest extends MailPoetTest {
       ->raw_query(
         'SELECT ' .
         '@@sql_mode as sql_mode, ' .
-        '@@session.time_zone as time_zone'
+        '@@session.time_zone as time_zone, ' .
+        '@@session.wait_timeout as wait_timeout'
       )
       ->findOne();
     // disable ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY
     expect($result->sql_mode)->notContains('ONLY_FULL_GROUP_BY');
     // time zone should be set based on WP's time zone
     expect($result->time_zone)->equals(Env::$db_timezone_offset);
+    // connection timeout should be set to 60 seconds
+    expect($result->wait_timeout)->equals(60);
   }
 
   function testItConfiguresHooks() {