diff --git a/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.test.tsx b/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.test.tsx
index 631a395..d9e97bf 100644
--- a/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.test.tsx
+++ b/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.test.tsx
@@ -151,4 +151,27 @@ describe('IntelGpuDataProvider', () => {
       expect(callCountAfter).toBeGreaterThan(callCountBefore);
     });
   });
+
+  it('treats a hanging CRD request as unavailable after 2s timeout', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    const nodeWrapper = { jsonData: {} };
+    vi.mocked(K8s.ResourceClasses.Node.useList).mockReturnValue([[nodeWrapper], null] as any);
+    vi.mocked(K8s.ResourceClasses.Pod.useList).mockReturnValue([[nodeWrapper], null] as any);
+    vi.mocked(ApiProxy.request)
+      .mockReturnValueOnce(new Promise(() => {}))
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ items: [] })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ items: [] })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ items: [] });
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useIntelGpuContext(), { wrapper: Wrapper });
+
+    expect(result.current.loading).toBe(true);
+
+    vi.advanceTimersByTime(2000);
+    await act(async () => {});
+    expect(result.current.crdAvailable).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.current.loading).toBe(false);
+
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.tsx b/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.tsx
index bf724a9..bd4beb8 100644
--- a/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.tsx
+++ b/src/api/IntelGpuDataContext.tsx
@@ -69,6 +69,18 @@ export function useIntelGpuContext(): IntelGpuContextValue {
 // Helpers
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+const DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS = 2_000;
+
+/** Wraps a promise with a timeout, rejecting if it doesn't settle within ms. */
+function withTimeout<T>(promise: Promise<T>, ms: number): Promise<T> {
+  return Promise.race([
+    promise,
+    new Promise<T>((_, reject) =>
+      setTimeout(() => reject(new Error(`Request timed out after ${ms}ms`)), ms)
+    ),
+  ]);
+}
+
 /** Extract raw Kubernetes JSON from Headlamp KubeObject wrappers. */
 const extractJsonData = (items: unknown[]): unknown[] =>
   items.map(item =>
@@ -108,8 +120,11 @@ export function IntelGpuDataProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }
       try {
         // GpuDevicePlugin CRDs — graceful degradation if CRD not installed
         try {
-          const pluginList = await ApiProxy.request(
-            `/apis/${INTEL_DEVICE_PLUGIN_API_GROUP}/${INTEL_DEVICE_PLUGIN_API_VERSION}/gpudeviceplugins`
+          const pluginList = await withTimeout(
+            ApiProxy.request(
+              `/apis/${INTEL_DEVICE_PLUGIN_API_GROUP}/${INTEL_DEVICE_PLUGIN_API_VERSION}/gpudeviceplugins`
+            ),
+            DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS
           );
           if (!cancelled && isKubeList(pluginList)) {
             setCrdAvailable(true);
@@ -139,7 +154,7 @@ export function IntelGpuDataProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }
 
         for (const url of pluginPodSelectors) {
           try {
-            const list = await ApiProxy.request(url);
+            const list = await withTimeout(ApiProxy.request(url), DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_MS);
             if (!cancelled && isKubeList(list)) {
               const gpuPluginPods = filterIntelGpuPluginPods(list.items);
               foundPluginPods.push(...gpuPluginPods);