diff --git a/attendee/settings/base.py b/attendee/settings/base.py
index 87a41a28..d2ee6361 100644
--- a/attendee/settings/base.py
+++ b/attendee/settings/base.py
@@ -270,6 +270,9 @@
 
 CHARGE_CREDITS_FOR_BOTS = os.getenv("CHARGE_CREDITS_FOR_BOTS", "false") == "true"
 
+# Celery task time limits
+BOT_TASK_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_SECONDS = int(os.getenv("BOT_TASK_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_SECONDS", 14400))  # 4 hours default
+
 BOT_POD_NAMESPACE = os.getenv("BOT_POD_NAMESPACE", "attendee")
 WEBPAGE_STREAMER_POD_NAMESPACE = os.getenv("WEBPAGE_STREAMER_POD_NAMESPACE", "attendee-webpage-streamer")
 REQUIRE_HTTPS_WEBHOOKS = os.getenv("REQUIRE_HTTPS_WEBHOOKS", "true") == "true"
diff --git a/bots/models.py b/bots/models.py
index d1f88426..d8d17008 100644
--- a/bots/models.py
+++ b/bots/models.py
@@ -1135,6 +1135,7 @@ class BotEventSubTypes(models.IntegerChoices):
     BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_HOST_DENIED_PERMISSION = 23, "Bot recording permission denied - Host denied permission"
     BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_REQUEST_TIMED_OUT = 24, "Bot recording permission denied - Request timed out"
     BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_HOST_CLIENT_CANNOT_GRANT_PERMISSION = 25, "Bot recording permission denied - Host client cannot grant permission"
+    FATAL_ERROR_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_EXCEEDED = 26, "Fatal error - Soft time limit exceeded"
 
     @classmethod
     def sub_type_to_api_code(cls, value):
@@ -1165,6 +1166,7 @@ def sub_type_to_api_code(cls, value):
             cls.BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_HOST_DENIED_PERMISSION: "host_denied_permission",
             cls.BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_REQUEST_TIMED_OUT: "request_timed_out",
             cls.BOT_RECORDING_PERMISSION_DENIED_HOST_CLIENT_CANNOT_GRANT_PERMISSION: "host_client_cannot_grant_permission",
+            cls.FATAL_ERROR_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_EXCEEDED: "soft_time_limit_exceeded",
         }
         return mapping.get(value)
 
@@ -1205,7 +1207,7 @@ class Meta:
             models.CheckConstraint(
                 check=(
                     # For FATAL_ERROR event type, must have one of the valid event subtypes
-                    (Q(event_type=BotEventTypes.FATAL_ERROR) & (Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_PROCESS_TERMINATED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_ATTENDEE_INTERNAL_ERROR) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_OUT_OF_CREDITS) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_RTMP_CONNECTION_FAILED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_UI_ELEMENT_NOT_FOUND) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_BOT_NOT_LAUNCHED)))
+                    (Q(event_type=BotEventTypes.FATAL_ERROR) & (Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_PROCESS_TERMINATED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_ATTENDEE_INTERNAL_ERROR) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_OUT_OF_CREDITS) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_RTMP_CONNECTION_FAILED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_UI_ELEMENT_NOT_FOUND) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_BOT_NOT_LAUNCHED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_EXCEEDED)))
                     |
                     # For COULD_NOT_JOIN event type, must have one of the valid event subtypes
                     (Q(event_type=BotEventTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN) & (Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_NOT_STARTED_WAITING_FOR_HOST) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_UNABLE_TO_CONNECT_TO_MEETING) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_WAITING_ROOM_TIMEOUT_EXCEEDED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_ZOOM_AUTHORIZATION_FAILED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_LOGIN_REQUIRED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_BOT_LOGIN_ATTEMPT_FAILED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_ZOOM_MEETING_STATUS_FAILED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_UNPUBLISHED_ZOOM_APP) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_ZOOM_SDK_INTERNAL_ERROR) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_REQUEST_TO_JOIN_DENIED) | Q(event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.COULD_NOT_JOIN_MEETING_MEETING_NOT_FOUND)))
diff --git a/bots/tasks/run_bot_task.py b/bots/tasks/run_bot_task.py
index 6bece3fd..0264ab41 100644
--- a/bots/tasks/run_bot_task.py
+++ b/bots/tasks/run_bot_task.py
@@ -3,9 +3,12 @@
 import signal
 
 from celery import shared_task
+from celery.exceptions import SoftTimeLimitExceeded
 from celery.signals import worker_shutting_down
+from django.conf import settings
 
 from bots.bot_controller import BotController
+from bots.models import Bot, BotEventManager, BotEventSubTypes, BotEventTypes
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -15,12 +18,27 @@ class StagedBotInterrupted(Exception):
     pass
 
 
-@shared_task(bind=True, soft_time_limit=14400, autoretry_for=(StagedBotInterrupted,), retry_kwargs={'max_retries': 5})  # 4 hours - must exceed BOT_MAX_UPTIME_SECONDS
+@shared_task(bind=True, soft_time_limit=settings.BOT_TASK_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_SECONDS, autoretry_for=(StagedBotInterrupted,), retry_kwargs={'max_retries': 5})
 def run_bot(self, bot_id):
     logger.info(f"Running bot {bot_id}")
     bot_controller = BotController(bot_id)
 
-    bot_controller.run()
+    try:
+        bot_controller.run()
+    except SoftTimeLimitExceeded:
+        logger.warning(f"Bot {bot_id} exceeded soft time limit ({settings.BOT_TASK_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_SECONDS}s)")
+        try:
+            bot = Bot.objects.get(id=bot_id)
+            BotEventManager.create_event(
+                bot=bot,
+                event_type=BotEventTypes.FATAL_ERROR,
+                event_sub_type=BotEventSubTypes.FATAL_ERROR_SOFT_TIME_LIMIT_EXCEEDED,
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error(f"Failed to create FATAL_ERROR event for bot {bot_id}: {e}")
+        finally:
+            bot_controller.cleanup()
+        return
 
     # After run() completes, check if the bot was interrupted while in STAGED state
     # If so, raise an exception to trigger retry