diff --git a/picard/ui/options/network.py b/picard/ui/options/network.py
index 2d24ceab5..9cbebca0f 100644
--- a/picard/ui/options/network.py
+++ b/picard/ui/options/network.py
@@ -85,7 +85,9 @@ class NetworkOptionsPage(OptionsPage):
         config.setting["proxy_username"] = self.ui.username.text()
         config.setting["proxy_password"] = self.ui.password.text()
         self.tagger.webservice.setup_proxy()
-        config.setting["network_transfer_timeout_seconds"] = self.ui.transfer_timeout.value()
+        transfer_timeout = self.ui.transfer_timeout.value()
+        config.setting["network_transfer_timeout_seconds"] = transfer_timeout
+        self.tagger.webservice.set_transfer_timeout(transfer_timeout)
         config.setting["browser_integration"] = self.ui.browser_integration.isChecked()
         config.setting["browser_integration_port"] = self.ui.browser_integration_port.value()
         config.setting["browser_integration_localhost_only"] = \
diff --git a/picard/webservice/__init__.py b/picard/webservice/__init__.py
index c8a0d8f31..04b9bf690 100644
--- a/picard/webservice/__init__.py
+++ b/picard/webservice/__init__.py
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ class WebService(QtCore.QObject):
         self.oauth_manager = OAuthManager(self)
         self.set_cache()
         self.setup_proxy()
+        self.set_transfer_timeout(config.setting['network_transfer_timeout_seconds'])
         self.manager.finished.connect(self._process_reply)
         self._request_methods = {
             "GET": self.manager.get,
@@ -331,6 +332,14 @@ class WebService(QtCore.QObject):
                 proxy.setPassword(config.setting["proxy_password"])
         self.manager.setProxy(proxy)
 
+    def set_transfer_timeout(self, timeout):
+        timeout_ms = timeout * 1000
+        if hasattr(self.manager, 'setTransferTimeout'):  # Available since Qt 5.15
+            self.manager.setTransferTimeout(timeout_ms)
+            self._transfer_timeout = 0
+        else:  # Use fallback implementation
+            self._transfer_timeout = timeout_ms
+
     def _send_request(self, request, access_token=None):
         hostkey = request.get_host_key()
         ratecontrol.increment_requests(hostkey)
@@ -338,19 +347,12 @@ class WebService(QtCore.QObject):
         request.access_token = access_token
         send = self._request_methods[request.method]
         data = request.data
-        transfer_timeout = config.setting['network_transfer_timeout_seconds'] * 1000
-        if hasattr(self.manager, 'setTransferTimeout'):  # Available since Qt 5.15
-            native_timeout = True
-            request.setTransferTimeout(transfer_timeout)
-        else:
-            native_timeout = False
         reply = send(request, data.encode('utf-8')) if data is not None else send(request)
-        if not native_timeout:
-            self._start_transfer_timeout(reply, transfer_timeout)
+        self._start_transfer_timeout(reply)
         self._active_requests[reply] = request
 
-    def _start_transfer_timeout(self, reply, timeout):
-        if not timeout:
+    def _start_transfer_timeout(self, reply):
+        if not self._transfer_timeout:
             return
         # Fallback implementation of a transfer timeout for Qt < 5.15.
         # Aborts a request if no data gets transferred for TRANSFER_TIMEOUT milliseconds.
@@ -359,14 +361,13 @@ class WebService(QtCore.QObject):
         timer.setTimerType(QtCore.Qt.PreciseTimer)
         timer.timeout.connect(partial(self._timeout_request, reply))
         reply.finished.connect(timer.stop)
-        reset_callback = partial(self._reset_transfer_timeout, timer, timeout)
+        reset_callback = partial(self._reset_transfer_timeout)
         reply.uploadProgress.connect(reset_callback)
         reply.downloadProgress.connect(reset_callback)
-        timer.start(timeout)
+        timer.start(self._transfer_timeout)
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def _reset_transfer_timeout(timer, timeout, bytesTransferred, bytesTotal):
-        timer.start(timeout)
+    def _reset_transfer_timeout(self, timer, bytesTransferred, bytesTotal):
+        timer.start(self._transfer_timeout)
 
     @staticmethod
     def _timeout_request(reply):
diff --git a/test/test_webservice.py b/test/test_webservice.py
index 1070412b8..69ef13bbe 100644
--- a/test/test_webservice.py
+++ b/test/test_webservice.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ PROXY_SETTINGS = {
     "proxy_server_port": 3128,
     "proxy_username": 'user',
     "proxy_password": 'password',
+    "network_transfer_timeout_seconds": 30,
 }
 
 
@@ -54,7 +55,11 @@ class WebServiceTest(PicardTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp()
-        config.setting = {'use_proxy': False, 'server_host': ''}
+        config.setting = {
+            'use_proxy': False,
+            'server_host': '',
+            'network_transfer_timeout_seconds': 30,
+        }
         self.ws = WebService()
 
     def tearDown(self):
@@ -92,7 +97,10 @@ class WebServiceTaskTest(PicardTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp()
-        config.setting = {'use_proxy': False}
+        config.setting = {
+            'use_proxy': False,
+            'network_transfer_timeout_seconds': 30,
+        }
         self.ws = WebService()
 
         # Patching the QTimers since they can only be started in a QThread