diff --git a/electrum/commands.py b/electrum/commands.py
index dd04f770c..6058eed70 100644
--- a/electrum/commands.py
+++ b/electrum/commands.py
@@ -1103,12 +1103,12 @@ class Commands:
         return invoice.to_debug_json()
 
     @command('wnl')
-    async def lnpay(self, invoice, attempts=1, timeout=30, wallet: Abstract_Wallet = None):
+    async def lnpay(self, invoice, timeout=120, wallet: Abstract_Wallet = None):
         lnworker = wallet.lnworker
         lnaddr = lnworker._check_invoice(invoice)
         payment_hash = lnaddr.paymenthash
         wallet.save_invoice(Invoice.from_bech32(invoice))
-        success, log = await lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice, attempts=attempts)
+        success, log = await lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice)
         return {
             'payment_hash': payment_hash.hex(),
             'success': success,
@@ -1347,7 +1347,6 @@ command_options = {
     'domain':      ("-D", "List of addresses"),
     'memo':        ("-m", "Description of the request"),
     'expiration':  (None, "Time in seconds"),
-    'attempts':    (None, "Number of payment attempts"),
     'timeout':     (None, "Timeout in seconds"),
     'force':       (None, "Create new address beyond gap limit, if no more addresses are available."),
     'pending':     (None, "Show only pending requests."),
@@ -1394,7 +1393,6 @@ arg_types = {
     'encrypt_file': eval_bool,
     'rbf': eval_bool,
     'timeout': float,
-    'attempts': int,
 }
 
 config_variables = {
diff --git a/electrum/gui/kivy/uix/screens.py b/electrum/gui/kivy/uix/screens.py
index 7c6439f80..c54565187 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/kivy/uix/screens.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/kivy/uix/screens.py
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ class SendScreen(CScreen, Logger):
         amount_msat = invoice.get_amount_msat()
         def pay_thread():
             try:
-                coro = self.app.wallet.lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice, amount_msat=amount_msat, attempts=10)
+                coro = self.app.wallet.lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice, amount_msat=amount_msat)
                 fut = asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(coro, self.app.network.asyncio_loop)
                 fut.result()
             except Exception as e:
diff --git a/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py b/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
index 97e1b7abb..0a230fddd 100644
--- a/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
+++ b/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
@@ -1724,7 +1724,7 @@ class ElectrumWindow(QMainWindow, MessageBoxMixin, Logger):
         if not self.question(msg):
             return
         self.save_pending_invoice()
-        coro = self.wallet.lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice, amount_msat=amount_msat, attempts=LN_NUM_PAYMENT_ATTEMPTS)
+        coro = self.wallet.lnworker.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice, amount_msat=amount_msat)
         self.run_coroutine_from_thread(coro)
 
     def on_request_status(self, wallet, key, status):
diff --git a/electrum/lnworker.py b/electrum/lnworker.py
index 3c3bff478..42098ad32 100644
--- a/electrum/lnworker.py
+++ b/electrum/lnworker.py
@@ -607,6 +607,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
     lnwatcher: Optional['LNWalletWatcher']
     MPP_EXPIRY = 120
     TIMEOUT_SHUTDOWN_FAIL_PENDING_HTLCS = 3  # seconds
+    PAYMENT_TIMEOUT = 120
 
     def __init__(self, wallet: 'Abstract_Wallet', xprv):
         self.wallet = wallet
@@ -1091,7 +1092,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
     async def _pay_scheduled_invoices(self):
         for invoice in self.wallet.get_scheduled_invoices():
             if invoice.is_lightning() and self.can_pay_invoice(invoice):
-                await self.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice, attempts=10)
+                await self.pay_invoice(invoice.lightning_invoice)
 
     def can_pay_invoice(self, invoice: Invoice) -> bool:
         assert invoice.is_lightning()
@@ -1131,7 +1132,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
     async def pay_invoice(
             self, invoice: str, *,
             amount_msat: int = None,
-            attempts: int = 1,
+            attempts: int = None, # used only in unit tests
             full_path: LNPaymentPath = None) -> Tuple[bool, List[HtlcLog]]:
 
         lnaddr = self._check_invoice(invoice, amount_msat=amount_msat)
@@ -1192,7 +1193,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
             min_cltv_expiry: int,
             r_tags,
             invoice_features: int,
-            attempts: int = 1,
+            attempts: int = None,
             full_path: LNPaymentPath = None,
             fwd_trampoline_onion=None,
             fwd_trampoline_fee=None,
@@ -1213,7 +1214,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
         use_two_trampolines = True
 
         trampoline_fee_level = self.INITIAL_TRAMPOLINE_FEE_LEVEL
-
+        start_time = time.time()
         amount_inflight = 0  # what we sent in htlcs (that receiver gets, without fees)
         while True:
             amount_to_send = amount_to_pay - amount_inflight
@@ -1269,7 +1270,7 @@ class LNWallet(LNWorker):
                     self.network.path_finder.update_inflight_htlcs(htlc_log.route, add_htlcs=False)
                 return
             # htlc failed
-            if len(log) >= attempts:
+            if (attempts is not None and len(log) >= attempts) or (attempts is None and time.time() - start_time > self.PAYMENT_TIMEOUT):
                 raise PaymentFailure('Giving up after %d attempts'%len(log))
             # if we get a tmp channel failure, it might work to split the amount and try more routes
             # if we get a channel update, we might retry the same route and amount
diff --git a/electrum/tests/test_lnpeer.py b/electrum/tests/test_lnpeer.py
index 6cf4f1be4..9ba096a1c 100644
--- a/electrum/tests/test_lnpeer.py
+++ b/electrum/tests/test_lnpeer.py
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ class MockWallet:
 
 class MockLNWallet(Logger, NetworkRetryManager[LNPeerAddr]):
     MPP_EXPIRY = 2  # HTLC timestamps are cast to int, so this cannot be 1
+    PAYMENT_TIMEOUT = 120
     TIMEOUT_SHUTDOWN_FAIL_PENDING_HTLCS = 0
     INITIAL_TRAMPOLINE_FEE_LEVEL = 0