diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c6c6635..f9796e4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ The rules for this file:
 - Replaced connect error alert with dialog (PR #85)
 - Added refresh frequency config option for 3D view (PR #86)
 - Added more client side widget input validations (PR #87)
+- Added configurable UI and kernel timeouts (PR #90)
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/mdadash/backend/kernel/manager.py b/mdadash/backend/kernel/manager.py
index 4c66784..4d1ab6d 100644
--- a/mdadash/backend/kernel/manager.py
+++ b/mdadash/backend/kernel/manager.py
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ async def send_message(self, msg_type: str, data: dict) -> None:
         self.kc.shell_channel.send(data_msg)
 
     async def send_message_await_response(
-        self, msg_type: str, data: dict | None = None, timeout: int = 5
+        self, msg_type: str, data: dict | None = None, timeout: int | None = None
     ) -> dict | None:
         """Send message to kernel and wait for a response (async)
 
@@ -288,11 +288,12 @@ async def send_message_await_response(
         msg_type: str
             A message type string that the kernel has a handler registered for
 
-        data: dict
+        data: dict | None
             Dict that gets passed to the handler in the kernel (default: None)
 
-        timeout: int
-            Timeout in seconds (default: 5)
+        timeout: int | None
+            Timeout in seconds (default: None)
+            When None, the configured kernel timeout in dashboard configurtion is used.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -318,6 +319,8 @@ async def send_message_await_response(
         future = asyncio.get_running_loop().create_future()
         self._pending_futures[msg_id] = future
         self.kc.shell_channel.send(data_msg)
+        if timeout is None:
+            timeout = self.sm.dashboard_config["kernel_timeout"]
         try:
             return await asyncio.wait_for(future, timeout=timeout)
         except TimeoutError as e:  # pragma: no cover
@@ -325,7 +328,7 @@ async def send_message_await_response(
         finally:
             self._pending_futures.pop(msg_id, None)
 
-    async def execute_code(self, code: str, timeout: int = 5) -> str:
+    async def execute_code(self, code: str, timeout: int | None = None) -> str:
         """Execute code in the kernel
 
         Parameters
@@ -333,8 +336,9 @@ async def execute_code(self, code: str, timeout: int = 5) -> str:
         code: str
             Code to execute in the kernel
 
-        timeout: int
-            Timeout in seconds (default: 5)
+        timeout: int | None
+            Timeout in seconds (default: None)
+            When None, the configured kernel timeout in dashboard configurtion is used.
 
         Returns
         -------
@@ -342,6 +346,8 @@ async def execute_code(self, code: str, timeout: int = 5) -> str:
             A string representation of the output of the code executed
 
         """
+        if timeout is None:
+            timeout = self.sm.dashboard_config["kernel_timeout"]
         response = await self.send_message_await_response(
             "execute_code", {"code": code}, timeout
         )
@@ -363,10 +369,12 @@ async def connect_to_simulations(self) -> dict:
 
         """
         try:
+            # Use a larger, but configurable timeout to allow creation of Universes
+            # Eg: guess_bonds=True could take a while to complete
             response = await self.send_message_await_response(
                 "connect_to_simulations",
                 self.sm.universe_configs,
-                timeout=20,
+                timeout=(6 * self.sm.dashboard_config["kernel_timeout"]),
             )
             if response["status"] == "ok":
                 self.sm.running_state["connected"] = True
diff --git a/mdadash/backend/state/manager.py b/mdadash/backend/state/manager.py
index 6462ca9..0ed591b 100644
--- a/mdadash/backend/state/manager.py
+++ b/mdadash/backend/state/manager.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ def load(self):
                         "nojump": False,
                         "socket_bufsize": None,
                         "buffer_size": 10000000,
-                        "timeout": 5,
+                        "timeout": 600,
                         "continue_after_disconnect": None,
                         "step": 1,
                         "total_steps": None,
@@ -168,8 +168,11 @@ def _upgrade(self):
                 "selection_error": "Please enter a selection phrase",
             }
         settings = self._state["settings"]
-        if "view3d_frequency" not in settings["dashboard_config"]:
-            settings["dashboard_config"]["view3d_frequency"] = 1
+        dashboard_config = settings["dashboard_config"]
+        if "view3d_frequency" not in dashboard_config:
+            dashboard_config["view3d_frequency"] = 1
+        if "kernel_timeout" not in dashboard_config:
+            dashboard_config["kernel_timeout"] = 5
 
     @property
     def state(self) -> dict:
diff --git a/mdadash/frontend/src/__tests__/views/SettingsView.spec.js b/mdadash/frontend/src/__tests__/views/SettingsView.spec.js
index 101f305..e937ffb 100644
--- a/mdadash/frontend/src/__tests__/views/SettingsView.spec.js
+++ b/mdadash/frontend/src/__tests__/views/SettingsView.spec.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ const settings = ref({
   dashboard_config: {
     show_session_info: true,
     show_energies: true,
+    ui_request_timeout: 5,
+    kernel_timeout: 5,
     n_jobs: 2,
     view3d_frequency: 1,
   },
@@ -75,14 +77,24 @@ describe('SettingsView.vue', () => {
         await input.setValue(dataMap[name])
       }
     }
-    // update n_jobs
+    // update ui_request_timeout
     const inputs = form.findAllComponents({ name: 'VNumberInput' })
-    const n_jobs = inputs[0]
+    const ui_request_timeout = inputs[0]
+    expect(ui_request_timeout).toBeDefined()
+    expect(ui_request_timeout.props('rules')[0](null)).toMatch(/^Cannot be empty/)
+    expect(ui_request_timeout.props('rules')[0](5)).toBe(true)
+    // update kernel_timeout
+    const kernel_timeout = inputs[1]
+    expect(kernel_timeout).toBeDefined()
+    expect(kernel_timeout.props('rules')[0](null)).toMatch(/^Cannot be empty/)
+    expect(kernel_timeout.props('rules')[0](5)).toBe(true)
+    // update n_jobs
+    const n_jobs = inputs[2]
     expect(n_jobs).toBeDefined()
     expect(n_jobs.props('rules')[0](null)).toMatch(/^Cannot be empty/)
     expect(n_jobs.props('rules')[0](2)).toBe(true)
     // update view3d_frequency
-    const view3d_frequency = inputs[1]
+    const view3d_frequency = inputs[3]
     expect(view3d_frequency).toBeDefined()
     expect(view3d_frequency.props('rules')[0](null)).toMatch(/^Cannot be empty/)
     expect(view3d_frequency.props('rules')[0](1)).toBe(true)
diff --git a/mdadash/frontend/src/views/SettingsView.vue b/mdadash/frontend/src/views/SettingsView.vue
index 66e16f2..030e877 100644
--- a/mdadash/frontend/src/views/SettingsView.vue
+++ b/mdadash/frontend/src/views/SettingsView.vue
@@ -45,13 +45,41 @@
                 </template>
               </v-switch>
 
+              <v-number-input
+                class="mb-4"
+                label="UI timeout"
+                variant="outlined"
+                v-model="settings.dashboard_config.ui_request_timeout"
+                control-variant="default"
+                hint="Timeout for UI requests in seconds [5]"
+                :min="5"
+                :step="1"
+                persistent-hint
+                :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 5']"
+                validate-on="eager"
+              ></v-number-input>
+
+              <v-number-input
+                class="mb-4"
+                label="Kernel timeout"
+                variant="outlined"
+                v-model="settings.dashboard_config.kernel_timeout"
+                control-variant="default"
+                hint="Timeout for Kernel requests in seconds [5]"
+                :min="5"
+                :step="1"
+                persistent-hint
+                :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 5']"
+                validate-on="eager"
+              ></v-number-input>
+
               <v-number-input
                 class="mb-4"
                 label="Parallel jobs"
                 variant="outlined"
                 v-model="settings.dashboard_config.n_jobs"
                 control-variant="default"
-                hint="Number of parallel jobs ('n_jobs' param of joblib.Parallel call)"
+                hint="Number of parallel jobs ('n_jobs' param of joblib.Parallel call) [2]"
                 :min="1"
                 :step="1"
                 persistent-hint
@@ -65,7 +93,7 @@
                 variant="outlined"
                 v-model="settings.dashboard_config.view3d_frequency"
                 control-variant="default"
-                hint="The frequency with which the 3D View is refreshed (every n frames)"
+                hint="Frequency with which 3D View is refreshed (every n frames) [1]"
                 :min="1"
                 :step="1"
                 persistent-hint
@@ -83,7 +111,7 @@
       <v-form :disabled="runningState.connected">
         <v-card-item
           title="Universe Configuration"
-          subtitle="Configuration settings for the universe"
+          subtitle="Configuration settings for the Universe"
           class="cursor-pointer"
           @click="isUCExpanded = !isUCExpanded"
         >
@@ -142,7 +170,7 @@
                 :min="8192"
                 :max="262144"
                 :step="1024"
-                hint="Size of the socket buffer in bytes. Default is to use the system default"
+                hint="Size of imdclient socket buffer in bytes [System default]"
                 persistent-hint
               ></v-number-input>
 
@@ -153,7 +181,7 @@
                 v-model="settings.universe_configs[0].buffer_size"
                 control-variant="hidden"
                 :min="1000000"
-                hint="IMDFrameBuffer will be filled with as many IMDFrame fit in buffer_size bytes [10MB]"
+                hint="Size of imdclient frame buffer in bytes [1000000]"
                 persistent-hint
                 :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 10000000']"
                 validate-on="eager"
@@ -165,12 +193,12 @@
                 variant="outlined"
                 v-model="settings.universe_configs[0].timeout"
                 control-variant="default"
-                hint="Timeout for the socket in seconds [5]"
+                hint="Timeout for imdclient socket in seconds [600]"
                 persistent-hint
                 :min="0"
-                :max="600"
+                :max="900"
                 :step="1"
-                :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 5']"
+                :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 600']"
                 validate-on="eager"
               ></v-number-input>
 
@@ -183,7 +211,7 @@
                   { title: 'False', value: false },
                   { title: 'None', value: null },
                 ]"
-                hint="Continue simulation after disconnect"
+                hint="Continue simulation after disconnect [None]"
                 persistent-hint
               ></v-select>
 
@@ -194,7 +222,7 @@
                 v-model="settings.universe_configs[0].step"
                 :min="1"
                 control-variant="default"
-                hint="frame(s) during iteration"
+                hint="Step n frame(s) during iteration [1]"
                 persistent-hint
                 :rules="[(v) => !!v || 'Cannot be empty. Default value is 1']"
                 validate-on="eager"