diff --git a/electrum/interface.py b/electrum/interface.py
index 1ac52d0be..4630dd902 100644
--- a/electrum/interface.py
+++ b/electrum/interface.py
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ class NotificationSession(ClientSession):
         self.scripthash = scripthash
         self.header = header
 
-    @aiosafe
     async def handle_request(self, request):
+        # note: if server sends malformed request and we raise, the superclass
+        # will catch the exception, count errors, and at some point disconnect
         if isinstance(request, Notification):
             if request.method == 'blockchain.scripthash.subscribe' and self.scripthash is not None:
                 scripthash, status = request.args
@@ -65,6 +66,13 @@ class NotificationSession(ClientSession):
             else:
                 assert False, request.method
 
+    async def send_request(self, *args, timeout=-1, **kwargs):
+        if timeout == -1:
+            timeout = 20 if not self.proxy else 30
+        return await asyncio.wait_for(
+            super().send_request(*args, **kwargs),
+            timeout)
+
 
 # FIXME this is often raised inside a TaskGroup, but then it's not silent :(
 class GracefulDisconnect(AIOSafeSilentException): pass
@@ -262,7 +270,7 @@ class Interface(PrintError):
             return None
 
     async def get_block_header(self, height, assert_mode):
-        res = await asyncio.wait_for(self.session.send_request('blockchain.block.header', [height]), 5)
+        res = await self.session.send_request('blockchain.block.header', [height], timeout=5)
         return blockchain.deserialize_header(bytes.fromhex(res), height)
 
     async def request_chunk(self, idx, tip):
@@ -304,7 +312,7 @@ class Interface(PrintError):
                 self.tip = new_header['block_height']
                 await copy_header_queue.put(new_header)
             except concurrent.futures.TimeoutError:
-                await asyncio.wait_for(self.session.send_request('server.ping'), 10)
+                await self.session.send_request('server.ping', timeout=10)
 
     def close(self):
         self.fut.cancel()
diff --git a/electrum/network.py b/electrum/network.py
index b9e12752f..e6f77d614 100644
--- a/electrum/network.py
+++ b/electrum/network.py
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ class Network(PrintError):
             size = max(size, 0)
         try:
             self.requested_chunks.add(index)
-            res = await asyncio.wait_for(session.send_request('blockchain.block.headers', [index * 2016, size]), 20)
+            res = await session.send_request('blockchain.block.headers', [index * 2016, size])
         finally:
             try: self.requested_chunks.remove(index)
             except KeyError: pass
@@ -816,4 +816,4 @@ class Network(PrintError):
             await asyncio.sleep(0.1)
 
     async def attempt_fee_estimate_update(self):
-        await asyncio.wait_for(self.request_fee_estimates(self.interface), 5)
+        await self.request_fee_estimates(self.interface)
diff --git a/electrum/synchronizer.py b/electrum/synchronizer.py
index a939f77e3..ba4611d64 100644
--- a/electrum/synchronizer.py
+++ b/electrum/synchronizer.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class Synchronizer(PrintError):
                 await group.spawn(self.get_transaction, tx_hash)
 
     async def get_transaction(self, tx_hash):
-        result = await asyncio.wait_for(self.session.send_request('blockchain.transaction.get', [tx_hash]), 20)
+        result = await self.session.send_request('blockchain.transaction.get', [tx_hash])
         tx = Transaction(result)
         try:
             tx.deserialize()