diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/api/gemini-token/route.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/api/gemini-token/route.ts
index 46c4981..4a59a7e 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/api/gemini-token/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/api/gemini-token/route.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import { generateEphemeralToken } from '@/lib/gemini-live';
 // ─── Rate Limiting ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 const rateLimitMap = new Map<string, number>();
-const RATE_LIMIT_MS = 30_000; // 1 token per 30 seconds per IP
+const RATE_LIMIT_MS = 5_000; // 1 token per 5 seconds per IP
 
 // ─── Health Check (GET — no rate limit) ──────────────────────────────────────
 
diff --git a/src/components/configurator/VoiceAgentProvider.tsx b/src/components/configurator/VoiceAgentProvider.tsx
index 0890fbd..a72462b 100644
--- a/src/components/configurator/VoiceAgentProvider.tsx
+++ b/src/components/configurator/VoiceAgentProvider.tsx
@@ -274,10 +274,22 @@ export default function VoiceAgentProvider({ locale, children }: VoiceAgentProvi
 
       // Open WebSocket to Gemini Live API
       const wsUrl = `wss://generativelanguage.googleapis.com/ws/google.ai.generativelanguage.v1beta.GenerativeService.BidiGenerateContent?key=${apiKey}`;
+      console.log('[VoiceAgent] Connecting to WebSocket...');
       const ws = new WebSocket(wsUrl);
       wsRef.current = ws;
 
+      // Timeout if setup doesn't complete within 10 seconds
+      const setupTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+        if (ws.readyState !== WebSocket.CLOSED) {
+          console.error('[VoiceAgent] Setup timed out after 10s');
+          ws.close();
+          setStatus('error');
+          setErrorMessage('Connection timed out. Please try again.');
+        }
+      }, 10_000);
+
       ws.onopen = () => {
+        console.log('[VoiceAgent] WebSocket opened, sending config...');
         // Send setup message — must use "config" key per Gemini Live API spec
         ws.send(JSON.stringify({
           config: {
@@ -314,6 +326,7 @@ export default function VoiceAgentProvider({ locale, children }: VoiceAgentProvi
         // Setup complete — Gemini sends back a setupComplete message
         if (msg.setupComplete !== undefined) {
           console.log('[VoiceAgent] Setup complete, session active');
+          clearTimeout(setupTimeout);
           setStatus('active');
           trackAmplitude();
           return;