diff --git a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/celo.go b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/celo.go
index 9ef71e48d..84de81d43 100644
--- a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/celo.go
+++ b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/celo.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package connectors
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	celoAbi "github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/celoabi"
 	ethAbi "github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethabi"
@@ -91,8 +92,10 @@ func (c *CeloConnector) GetGuardianSet(ctx context.Context, index uint32) (ethAb
 }
 
 func (c *CeloConnector) WatchLogMessagePublished(ctx context.Context, sink chan<- *ethAbi.AbiLogMessagePublished) (ethEvent.Subscription, error) {
+	timeout, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
 	messageC := make(chan *celoAbi.AbiLogMessagePublished, 2)
-	messageSub, err := c.filterer.WatchLogMessagePublished(&celoBind.WatchOpts{Context: ctx}, messageC, nil)
+	messageSub, err := c.filterer.WatchLogMessagePublished(&celoBind.WatchOpts{Context: timeout}, messageC, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return messageSub, err
 	}
diff --git a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethereum.go b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethereum.go
index 8e69a6032..f802cb2cd 100644
--- a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethereum.go
+++ b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethereum.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package connectors
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"time"
 
 	ethAbi "github.com/certusone/wormhole/node/pkg/watchers/evm/connectors/ethabi"
 
@@ -74,7 +75,9 @@ func (e *EthereumConnector) GetGuardianSet(ctx context.Context, index uint32) (e
 }
 
 func (e *EthereumConnector) WatchLogMessagePublished(ctx context.Context, sink chan<- *ethAbi.AbiLogMessagePublished) (ethEvent.Subscription, error) {
-	return e.filterer.WatchLogMessagePublished(&ethBind.WatchOpts{Context: ctx}, sink, nil)
+	timeout, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 15*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	return e.filterer.WatchLogMessagePublished(&ethBind.WatchOpts{Context: timeout}, sink, nil)
 }
 
 func (e *EthereumConnector) TransactionReceipt(ctx context.Context, txHash ethCommon.Hash) (*ethTypes.Receipt, error) {
diff --git a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/watcher.go b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/watcher.go
index ca1d273e1..84076f548 100644
--- a/node/pkg/watchers/evm/watcher.go
+++ b/node/pkg/watchers/evm/watcher.go
@@ -244,13 +244,10 @@ func (w *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Timeout for initializing subscriptions
-	timeout, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 15*time.Second)
-	defer cancel()
-
-	// Subscribe to new message publications
+	// Subscribe to new message publications. We don't use a timeout here because the LogPollConnector
+	// will keep running. Other connectors will use a timeout internally if appropriate.
 	messageC := make(chan *ethabi.AbiLogMessagePublished, 2)
-	messageSub, err := w.ethConn.WatchLogMessagePublished(timeout, messageC)
+	messageSub, err := w.ethConn.WatchLogMessagePublished(ctx, messageC)
 	defer messageSub.Unsubscribe()
 	if err != nil {
 		ethConnectionErrors.WithLabelValues(w.networkName, "subscribe_error").Inc()