diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c5bacc4..d57e2b2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ TODO
 | diracxWeb.service.port | int | `8080` |  |
 | diracxWeb.service.type | string | `"ClusterIP"` |  |
 | fullnameOverride | string | `""` |  |
+| global.activeDeadlineSeconds | int | `900` |  |
 | global.batchJobTTL | int | `600` |  |
 | global.imagePullPolicy | string | `"Always"` |  |
 | image.repository | string | `"ghcr.io/diracgrid/diracx/server"` |  |
diff --git a/diracx/templates/init-cs/job.yaml b/diracx/templates/init-cs/job.yaml
index 916e291..23a9f0e 100644
--- a/diracx/templates/init-cs/job.yaml
+++ b/diracx/templates/init-cs/job.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ metadata:
     "helm.sh/hook": pre-install
 spec:
   ttlSecondsAfterFinished: {{ .Values.global.batchJobTTL }}
-  activeDeadlineSeconds: 300
+  activeDeadlineSeconds: {{ .Values.global.activeDeadlineSeconds }}
   template:
     metadata:
       annotations:
diff --git a/diracx/templates/init-secrets/job.yaml b/diracx/templates/init-secrets/job.yaml
index 664fa72..72514f8 100644
--- a/diracx/templates/init-secrets/job.yaml
+++ b/diracx/templates/init-secrets/job.yaml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ metadata:
     "helm.sh/hook-weight": "-1"
 spec:
   ttlSecondsAfterFinished: {{ .Values.global.batchJobTTL }}
-  activeDeadlineSeconds: 300
+  activeDeadlineSeconds: {{ .Values.global.activeDeadlineSeconds }}
   template:
     metadata:
       annotations:
diff --git a/diracx/templates/init-sql/job.yaml b/diracx/templates/init-sql/job.yaml
index adb137f..4fbabac 100644
--- a/diracx/templates/init-sql/job.yaml
+++ b/diracx/templates/init-sql/job.yaml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ metadata:
     "helm.sh/hook": post-install,pre-upgrade
 spec:
   ttlSecondsAfterFinished: {{ .Values.global.batchJobTTL }}
-  activeDeadlineSeconds: 300
+  activeDeadlineSeconds: {{ .Values.global.activeDeadlineSeconds }}
   template:
     metadata:
       annotations:
diff --git a/diracx/values.yaml b/diracx/values.yaml
index 0cb253e..6a1f949 100644
--- a/diracx/values.yaml
+++ b/diracx/values.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ global:
   # For now we override it to Always to avoid confusion around having an
   # outdated reference to the "latest" tag.
   imagePullPolicy: Always
+  # timeout for job deadlines
+  activeDeadlineSeconds: 900
 
 replicaCount: 1