diff --git a/novelforge/llm/image.py b/novelforge/llm/image.py
index c8c17c4..1d89457 100644
--- a/novelforge/llm/image.py
+++ b/novelforge/llm/image.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def call_image_api(prompt: str, *, filename_prefix: str = "illustration") -> str
 
                 # Download with streaming and size limit (20 MB max)
                 _MAX_IMAGE_BYTES = 20 * 1024 * 1024
-                img_resp = requests.get(image_url, timeout=60, stream=True)
+                img_resp = requests.get(image_url, timeout=config.IMAGE_TIMEOUT, stream=True)
                 img_resp.raise_for_status()
                 chunks: list[bytes] = []
                 downloaded = 0
diff --git a/tests/test_image_download_timeout.py b/tests/test_image_download_timeout.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ddebfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_image_download_timeout.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+"""Tests that call_image_api uses config.IMAGE_TIMEOUT for the image download request."""
+
+import base64
+import json
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
+
+
+def _make_api_response(payload: dict) -> MagicMock:
+    """Build a mock requests.Response for the image generation POST call."""
+    resp = MagicMock()
+    resp.status_code = 200
+    resp.json.return_value = payload
+    resp.raise_for_status.return_value = None
+    return resp
+
+
+def _make_download_response(content: bytes = b"fake_image_data") -> MagicMock:
+    """Build a mock streaming requests.Response for the image download GET call."""
+    resp = MagicMock()
+    resp.status_code = 200
+    resp.raise_for_status.return_value = None
+    resp.iter_content.return_value = iter([content])
+    return resp
+
+
+class TestImageDownloadUsesConfigTimeout:
+    """Verify that requests.get for image URL download uses config.IMAGE_TIMEOUT."""
+
+    def test_download_uses_config_image_timeout(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        import novelforge.config as config
+        import novelforge.llm.image as image_mod
+
+        # Configure necessary settings
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_API_KEY", "test-key")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_API_URL", "https://api.example.com/images")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_MODEL", "dall-e-3")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_SIZE", "1024x1024")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_TIMEOUT", 120)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "EXPORT_DIR", str(tmp_path))
+
+        api_resp = _make_api_response({
+            "data": [{"url": "https://cdn.example.com/image.png"}]
+        })
+        download_resp = _make_download_response(b"\x89PNG\r\n")
+
+        get_calls = []
+
+        def fake_get(url, **kwargs):
+            get_calls.append({"url": url, "kwargs": kwargs})
+            return download_resp
+
+        with patch.object(image_mod.requests, "post", return_value=api_resp), \
+             patch.object(image_mod.requests, "get", side_effect=fake_get):
+            result = image_mod.call_image_api("a brave hero", filename_prefix="test")
+
+        assert result is not None, "call_image_api should return a filename on success"
+        assert len(get_calls) == 1, "requests.get should be called once for the download"
+
+        actual_timeout = get_calls[0]["kwargs"].get("timeout")
+        assert actual_timeout == 120, (
+            f"Expected timeout=config.IMAGE_TIMEOUT (120), got {actual_timeout!r}"
+        )
+
+    def test_download_timeout_reflects_updated_config(self, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        """Changing IMAGE_TIMEOUT should change the download timeout accordingly."""
+        import novelforge.config as config
+        import novelforge.llm.image as image_mod
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_API_KEY", "test-key")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_API_URL", "https://api.example.com/images")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_MODEL", "dall-e-3")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_SIZE", "1024x1024")
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "IMAGE_TIMEOUT", 300)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(config, "EXPORT_DIR", str(tmp_path))
+
+        api_resp = _make_api_response({
+            "data": [{"url": "https://cdn.example.com/image.png"}]
+        })
+        download_resp = _make_download_response(b"\x89PNG\r\n")
+
+        get_calls = []
+
+        def fake_get(url, **kwargs):
+            get_calls.append({"url": url, "kwargs": kwargs})
+            return download_resp
+
+        with patch.object(image_mod.requests, "post", return_value=api_resp), \
+             patch.object(image_mod.requests, "get", side_effect=fake_get):
+            image_mod.call_image_api("sunset scene", filename_prefix="cover")
+
+        actual_timeout = get_calls[0]["kwargs"].get("timeout")
+        assert actual_timeout == 300, (
+            f"Expected timeout=config.IMAGE_TIMEOUT (300), got {actual_timeout!r}"
+        )