diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index aaa3264..a558807 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
 	"name": "codebase-cli",
-	"version": "2.0.0-pre.79",
+	"version": "2.0.0-pre.80",
 	"lockfileVersion": 3,
 	"requires": true,
 	"packages": {
 		"": {
 			"name": "codebase-cli",
-			"version": "2.0.0-pre.79",
+			"version": "2.0.0-pre.80",
 			"license": "MIT",
 			"dependencies": {
 				"@earendil-works/pi-agent-core": "0.74.0",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 56c78b9..d321480 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
 	"name": "codebase-cli",
-	"version": "2.0.0-pre.79",
+	"version": "2.0.0-pre.80",
 	"description": "Codebase CLI — a TypeScript coding agent on the pi-mono runtime. OAuth-aware, any LLM provider, single install.",
 	"keywords": [
 		"ai",
diff --git a/src/projects/cli.test.ts b/src/projects/cli.test.ts
index bcf5d16..631c38c 100644
--- a/src/projects/cli.test.ts
+++ b/src/projects/cli.test.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ describe("runProjectSubcommand", () => {
 
 		expect(result.code).toBe(0);
 		expect(result.stdout.join("\n")).toContain("alias: codebase web-build");
+		expect(result.stdout.join("\n")).toContain("default: 1800");
 	});
 
 	it("prints pull help without treating the flag as a project id", async () => {
@@ -267,6 +268,39 @@ describe("runProjectSubcommand", () => {
 		expect(result.stdout.join("\n")).toContain("preview: https://codebase.design/preview/proj-1");
 	});
 
+	it("keeps the default wait alive beyond ten minutes", async () => {
+		let now = 0;
+		const nowSpy = vi.spyOn(Date, "now").mockImplementation(() => now);
+		const client = fakeClient({
+			status: { sessionId: "sess-1", status: "building", projectId: "proj-1" },
+			preview: { ok: true, previewPath: "/preview/proj-1" },
+		}) as ProjectClient;
+		client.getBuildStatus = async () => ({
+			sessionId: "sess-1",
+			status: now >= 11 * 60_000 ? "completed" : "building",
+			projectId: "proj-1",
+		});
+
+		try {
+			const stdout: string[] = [];
+			const code = await runProjectSubcommand(["project", "build", "--wait", "Build", "a", "demo"], {
+				client,
+				stdout: (message) => stdout.push(message),
+				stderr: () => {},
+				sleep: async (ms) => {
+					now += ms;
+				},
+				handoffStore: null,
+			});
+
+			expect(code).toBe(0);
+			expect(now).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(11 * 60_000);
+			expect(stdout.join("\n")).toContain("build sess-1: completed");
+		} finally {
+			nowSpy.mockRestore();
+		}
+	});
+
 	it("fails a terminal build and prints the server reason", async () => {
 		const result = await runProject(
 			["project", "build", "--wait", "Build", "a", "demo"],
diff --git a/src/projects/cli.ts b/src/projects/cli.ts
index 1dd1ea9..fb95483 100644
--- a/src/projects/cli.ts
+++ b/src/projects/cli.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { BuildHandoffStore } from "./handoff.js";
 import type { BuildStatusResponse, PlatformProject } from "./types.js";
 
 const DEFAULT_LIST_LIMIT = 25;
-const DEFAULT_BUILD_TIMEOUT_MS = 10 * 60_000;
+const DEFAULT_BUILD_TIMEOUT_MS = 30 * 60_000;
 const DEFAULT_BUILD_POLL_MS = 30_000;
 
 export interface ProjectCliOptions {
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ function printBuildHelp(out: (msg: string) => void): void {
 	out("");
 	out("Options:");
 	out("  --wait, -w           poll until the build completes, then print preview URL");
-	out("  --timeout SECONDS    max wait time with --wait (default: 600)");
+	out("  --timeout SECONDS    max wait time with --wait (default: 1800)");
 	out("  --model MODEL        request a specific web build model");
 	out("  --scaffold ID        request a specific web scaffold");
 	out("  --project ID         continue/build against an existing project when supported by the web API");