diff --git a/project_types/validate/api_calls.py b/project_types/validate/api_calls.py
index 52ff2019..e709e0d3 100644
--- a/project_types/validate/api_calls.py
+++ b/project_types/validate/api_calls.py
@@ -185,7 +185,11 @@ def get_object_count_from_ohsome(area: str, ohsome_filter: PydanticLongText) ->
     logger.info("Filter: %s", ohsome_filter)
 
     # fixme(frozenhelium): use httpx for proper timeout
-    response = requests.post(url, data=data, timeout=100)
+    try:
+        response = requests.post(url, data=data, timeout=1)
+    except requests.exceptions.Timeout as e:
+        logger.warning("ohsome element count request timed out")
+        raise ValidateApiCallError("OHSOME request timed out.") from e
     if response.status_code != 200:
         logger.warning(
             "ohsome element count request failed: check for errors in filter or geometries",
@@ -219,7 +223,11 @@ def ohsome(request: dict[str, Any], area: str, properties: str | None = None) ->
     logger.info("Target: %s", url)
     logger.info("Filter: %s", request["filter"])
     # FIXME(tnagorra): Need to check what the timeout should be
-    response = requests.post(url, data=data, timeout=100)
+    try:
+        response = requests.post(url, data=data, timeout=100)
+    except requests.exceptions.Timeout as e:
+        logger.warning("ohsome request timed out")
+        raise ValidateApiCallError("OHSOME request timed out.") from e
     if response.status_code != 200:
         logger.warning(
             "ohsome request failed: check for errors in filter or geometries",
diff --git a/project_types/validate/project.py b/project_types/validate/project.py
index bae94c49..c997e6ed 100644
--- a/project_types/validate/project.py
+++ b/project_types/validate/project.py
@@ -159,7 +159,12 @@ def test_geojson_url_project(url: str):
 
         # FIXME(frozenhelium): use predefined timeout duration
         # FIXME(tnagorra): handle timeout error
-        response = requests.get(url, timeout=500)
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(url, timeout=500)
+        except requests.exceptions.Timeout as e:
+            raise base_project.ValidationException(
+                f"Failed to fetch object geojson from {url}: request timed out",
+            ) from e
         if response.status_code != 200:
             raise base_project.ValidationException(
                 f"Failed to fetch object geojson from {url}",
@@ -207,6 +212,8 @@ def test_ohsome_objects_from_aoi_asset(
                 feature_collection.model_dump_json(),
                 ohsome_filter,
             )
+        except ValidateApiCallError as e:
+            raise base_project.ValidationException(str(e) or "Failed to get object_count from ohsome") from e
         except Exception as e:
             raise base_project.ValidationException("Failed to get object_count from ohsome") from e
 
@@ -223,7 +230,12 @@ def test_tasking_manager_project(
         hot_tm_url = f"{Config.HOT_TASKING_MANAGER_PROJECT_API_LINK}projects/{hot_tm_id}/queries/aoi/?as_file=false"
         logger.info("Fetching AOI geojson on HOT from %s", hot_tm_url)
 
-        aoi_result = requests.get(hot_tm_url, timeout=500)
+        try:
+            aoi_result = requests.get(hot_tm_url, timeout=500)
+        except requests.exceptions.Timeout as e:
+            raise base_project.ValidationException(
+                f"Failed to fetch AOI GeoJSON from HOT Tasking Manager for tm_id {hot_tm_id}: request timed out",
+            ) from e
         if aoi_result.status_code != 200:
             raise base_project.ValidationException(
                 f"Failed to fetch AOI GeoJSON from HOT Tasking Manager for tm_id {hot_tm_id}",
@@ -269,6 +281,8 @@ def test_tasking_manager_project(
                 feature_collection.model_dump_json(),
                 ohsome_filter,
             )
+        except ValidateApiCallError as e:
+            raise base_project.ValidationException(str(e) or "Failed to get object_count from ohsome") from e
         except Exception as e:
             raise base_project.ValidationException("Failed to get object_count from ohsome") from e
 
@@ -313,7 +327,9 @@ def _get_object_geometry_from_ohsome(self, geojson: dict[typing.Any, typing.Any]
             )
         except ValidateApiCallError as e:
             # NOTE: Handles calls from OHSOME, OSMCHA and OSM
-            raise base_project.ValidationException("Failed to fetch data from OHSOME/OSMCHA/OSM") from e
+            raise base_project.ValidationException(
+                str(e) or "Failed to fetch data from OHSOME/OSMCHA/OSM",
+            ) from e
         except requests.JSONDecodeError as e:
             # NOTE: Handles calls from OHSOME and OSMCHA
             # OSM responds in XML format