diff --git a/scripts/e2e/gateway-network-docker.sh b/scripts/e2e/gateway-network-docker.sh
index 91ee501eb04..278ebd04a4b 100644
--- a/scripts/e2e/gateway-network-docker.sh
+++ b/scripts/e2e/gateway-network-docker.sh
@@ -12,6 +12,22 @@ NET_NAME="openclaw-net-e2e-$$"
 GW_NAME="openclaw-gateway-e2e-$$"
 DOCKER_COMMAND_TIMEOUT="${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_DOCKER_COMMAND_TIMEOUT:-600s}"
 CLIENT_TIMEOUT="${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_TIMEOUT:-90s}"
+CLIENT_LIMIT_ENV_ARGS=()
+if [[ -n "${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS+x}" ]]; then
+  CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS="$(
+    docker_e2e_read_positive_int_env OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS 80000
+  )"
+  CLIENT_LIMIT_ENV_ARGS+=(
+    -e "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS=$CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS"
+  )
+elif [[ -n "${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS+x}" ]]; then
+  CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS="$(
+    docker_e2e_read_positive_int_env OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS 80000
+  )"
+  CLIENT_LIMIT_ENV_ARGS+=(
+    -e "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS=$CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS"
+  )
+fi
 
 cleanup() {
   docker_e2e_docker_cmd rm -f "$GW_NAME" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
@@ -49,6 +65,7 @@ echo "Running client container (connect + health)..."
 DOCKER_COMMAND_TIMEOUT="$CLIENT_TIMEOUT" run_logged gateway-network-client docker_e2e_docker_run_cmd run --rm \
   "${DOCKER_E2E_HARNESS_ARGS[@]}" \
   --network "$NET_NAME" \
+  "${CLIENT_LIMIT_ENV_ARGS[@]}" \
   -e "GW_URL=ws://$GW_NAME:$PORT" \
   -e "GW_TOKEN=$TOKEN" \
   "$IMAGE_NAME" \
diff --git a/test/scripts/docker-build-helper.test.ts b/test/scripts/docker-build-helper.test.ts
index 5d8cecedacd..ea26ee570f0 100644
--- a/test/scripts/docker-build-helper.test.ts
+++ b/test/scripts/docker-build-helper.test.ts
@@ -3387,6 +3387,45 @@ output="$(cat "$sampler_log")"
     );
   });
 
+  it.each([
+    ["connect", "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS", "100ms"],
+    ["ready", "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS", "1e3"],
+  ])(
+    "rejects invalid gateway network client %s timeout before Docker setup",
+    (_label, envName, value) => {
+      const result = spawnSync("bash", [GATEWAY_NETWORK_DOCKER_E2E_PATH], {
+        encoding: "utf8",
+        env: {
+          ...process.env,
+          [envName]: value,
+          OPENCLAW_SKIP_DOCKER_BUILD: "1",
+        },
+      });
+
+      expect(result.status).toBe(2);
+      expect(result.stderr).toContain(`invalid ${envName}: ${value}`);
+      expect(result.stderr).not.toContain("Docker image not found");
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("forwards gateway network client timeout env into the Docker client", () => {
+    const runner = readFileSync(GATEWAY_NETWORK_DOCKER_E2E_PATH, "utf8");
+
+    expect(runner).toContain(
+      "docker_e2e_read_positive_int_env OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS 80000",
+    );
+    expect(runner).toContain(
+      "docker_e2e_read_positive_int_env OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS 80000",
+    );
+    expect(runner).toContain(
+      '-e "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS=$CLIENT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS"',
+    );
+    expect(runner).toContain(
+      '-e "OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_NETWORK_CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS=$CONNECT_READY_TIMEOUT_MS"',
+    );
+    expect(runner).toContain('"${CLIENT_LIMIT_ENV_ARGS[@]}"');
+  });
+
   it("requires TCP readiness for the gateway network runner", () => {
     const runner = readFileSync(GATEWAY_NETWORK_DOCKER_E2E_PATH, "utf8");