diff --git a/clients/python/src/examples/cli.py b/clients/python/src/examples/cli.py
index 35717a29..1689ef60 100644
--- a/clients/python/src/examples/cli.py
+++ b/clients/python/src/examples/cli.py
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ def worker(
             processing_pool_name="examples",
             process_type="forkserver",
             grpc_port=grpc_port,
+            push_task_timeout=5,
         )
     else:
         worker = TaskWorker(
diff --git a/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/worker/worker.py b/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/worker/worker.py
index be69db2e..9c9b7fb6 100644
--- a/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/worker/worker.py
+++ b/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/worker/worker.py
@@ -59,8 +59,9 @@ class WorkerServicer(taskbroker_pb2_grpc.WorkerServiceServicer):
     gRPC servicer that receives task activations pushed from the broker
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, worker: TaskWorkerProcessingPool) -> None:
+    def __init__(self, worker: TaskWorkerProcessingPool, push_task_timeout: float = 5) -> None:
         self.worker_pool = worker
+        self.push_task_timeout = push_task_timeout
 
     def PushTask(
         self,
@@ -81,8 +82,8 @@ def PushTask(
             receive_timestamp=time.monotonic(),
         )
 
-        # Push the task to the worker queue (wait at most 5 seconds)
-        if not self.worker_pool.push_task(inflight, timeout=5):
+        # Push the task to the worker queue (wait at most N seconds)
+        if not self.worker_pool.push_task(inflight, timeout=self.push_task_timeout):
             self.worker_pool._metrics.incr(
                 "taskworker.worker.push_rpc",
                 tags={"result": "busy", "processing_pool": self.worker_pool._processing_pool_name},
@@ -139,6 +140,7 @@ def __init__(
         health_check_file_path: str | None = None,
         health_check_sec_per_touch: float = DEFAULT_WORKER_HEALTH_CHECK_SEC_PER_TOUCH,
         grpc_port: int = 50052,
+        push_task_timeout: float = 5,
         update_in_batches: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         app = import_app(app_module)
@@ -195,6 +197,7 @@ def __init__(
 
         self._grpc_port = grpc_port
         self._grpc_secrets = parse_rpc_secret_list(app.config["rpc_secret"])
+        self._push_task_timeout = push_task_timeout
 
     def _create_client(
         self,
@@ -343,7 +346,7 @@ def signal_handler(*args: Any) -> None:
             )
 
             taskbroker_pb2_grpc.add_WorkerServiceServicer_to_server(
-                WorkerServicer(self.worker_pool), server
+                WorkerServicer(self.worker_pool, self._push_task_timeout), server
             )
 
             # The health service is used by the K8s readiness check