diff --git a/hive-agent/src/plugins.rs b/hive-agent/src/plugins.rs
index 5a1a3b09..20e015c2 100644
--- a/hive-agent/src/plugins.rs
+++ b/hive-agent/src/plugins.rs
@@ -11,12 +11,41 @@
 //! plugin specs resolve against current index data. Marketplace update
 //! failures are non-fatal — stale index is better than no install attempt.
 
+use std::io;
+use std::process::Output;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
 use tokio::process::Command;
 
 const PLUGINS_PATH: &str = "/etc/hyperhive/claude-plugins.json";
 const MARKETPLACES_PATH: &str = "/etc/hyperhive/claude-marketplaces.json";
 const AUTO_UPDATE_PATH: &str = "/etc/hyperhive/claude-plugins-auto-update.json";
 
+/// Per-call deadline for `claude plugin …`; a git clone over a slow link fits, a hung fetch does not.
+const PLUGIN_CALL_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_mins(2);
+
+/// Run `claude plugin <args>` under [`PLUGIN_CALL_TIMEOUT`]. On timeout the
+/// child is killed (`kill_on_drop`) and a `TimedOut` error is returned.
+async fn run_claude_plugin(args: &[&str]) -> io::Result<Output> {
+    let mut cmd = Command::new("claude");
+    cmd.arg("plugin").args(args);
+    run_bounded(cmd, PLUGIN_CALL_TIMEOUT).await
+}
+
+/// Run `cmd` to completion within `deadline`; the child is killed when the
+/// deadline passes.
+async fn run_bounded(mut cmd: Command, deadline: Duration) -> io::Result<Output> {
+    let call = cmd.kill_on_drop(true).output();
+    tokio::time::timeout(deadline, call)
+        .await
+        .unwrap_or_else(|_| {
+            Err(io::Error::new(
+                io::ErrorKind::TimedOut,
+                format!("no exit within {}s", deadline.as_secs_f32()),
+            ))
+        })
+}
+
 /// Add every marketplace from `/etc/hyperhive/claude-marketplaces.json`
 /// via `claude plugin marketplace add <source>`. Idempotent: re-add of
 /// an existing marketplace is treated as success (claude prints an
@@ -34,11 +63,7 @@ async fn add_marketplaces() {
         }
     };
     for source in sources {
-        match Command::new("claude")
-            .args(["plugin", "marketplace", "add", &source])
-            .output()
-            .await
-        {
+        match run_claude_plugin(&["marketplace", "add", &source]).await {
             Ok(out) if out.status.success() => {
                 tracing::info!(source = %source, "claude plugin marketplace add ok");
             }
@@ -56,7 +81,7 @@ async fn add_marketplaces() {
                 }
             }
             Err(e) => {
-                tracing::warn!(source = %source, error = ?e, "claude plugin marketplace add spawn failed");
+                tracing::warn!(source = %source, error = ?e, "claude plugin marketplace add spawn failed or timed out");
             }
         }
     }
@@ -74,11 +99,7 @@ async fn auto_update_enabled() -> bool {
 /// Update all configured plugin marketplaces. Non-fatal — logs a warning
 /// on failure but does not abort the install sequence.
 async fn update_marketplaces() {
-    match Command::new("claude")
-        .args(["plugin", "marketplace", "update"])
-        .output()
-        .await
-    {
+    match run_claude_plugin(&["marketplace", "update"]).await {
         Ok(out) if out.status.success() => {
             tracing::info!("claude plugin marketplace update ok");
         }
@@ -90,7 +111,7 @@ async fn update_marketplaces() {
             );
         }
         Err(e) => {
-            tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "claude plugin marketplace update spawn failed (non-fatal)");
+            tracing::warn!(error = ?e, "claude plugin marketplace update spawn failed or timed out (non-fatal)");
         }
     }
 }
@@ -118,11 +139,7 @@ pub async fn install_configured() {
         tracing::debug!("claudePluginsAutoUpdate=false, skipping marketplace update");
     }
     for spec in specs {
-        match Command::new("claude")
-            .args(["plugin", "install", &spec])
-            .output()
-            .await
-        {
+        match run_claude_plugin(&["install", &spec]).await {
             Ok(out) if out.status.success() => {
                 tracing::info!(spec = %spec, "claude plugin install ok");
             }
@@ -136,8 +153,30 @@ pub async fn install_configured() {
                 );
             }
             Err(e) => {
-                tracing::warn!(spec = %spec, error = ?e, "claude plugin install spawn failed");
+                tracing::warn!(spec = %spec, error = ?e, "claude plugin install spawn failed or timed out");
             }
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn run_bounded_times_out_a_hung_child() {
+        let mut cmd = Command::new("sleep");
+        cmd.arg("30");
+        let err = run_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_millis(100))
+            .await
+            .unwrap_err();
+        assert_eq!(err.kind(), io::ErrorKind::TimedOut);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn run_bounded_returns_output_of_a_prompt_child() {
+        let cmd = Command::new("true");
+        let out = run_bounded(cmd, Duration::from_secs(5)).await;
+        assert!(out.unwrap().status.success());
+    }
+}