diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 270503705b5..342e8424126 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 ### Fixes
 
 - Telegram/Discord extensions: propagate trusted `mediaLocalRoots` through extension outbound `sendMedia` options so extension direct-send media paths honor agent-scoped local-media allowlists. (#20029, #21903, #23227)
+- Exec/Background: stop applying the default exec timeout to background sessions (`background: true` or explicit `yieldMs`) when no explicit timeout is set, so long-running background jobs are no longer terminated at the default timeout boundary. (#23303)
 - Plugins/Media sandbox: propagate trusted `mediaLocalRoots` through plugin action dispatch (including Discord/Telegram action adapters) so plugin send paths enforce the same agent-scoped local-media sandbox roots as core outbound sends. (#20258, #22718)
 - Agents/Workspace guard: map sandbox container-workdir file-tool paths (for example `/workspace/...` and `file:///workspace/...`) to host workspace roots before workspace-only validation, preventing false `Path escapes sandbox root` rejections for sandbox file tools. (#9560)
 - Gateway/Exec approvals: expire approval requests immediately when no approval-capable gateway clients are connected and no forwarding targets are available, avoiding delayed approvals after restarts/offline approver windows. (#22144)
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
index e342df6232b..39e36b5581e 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec-runtime.ts
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ export async function runExecProcess(opts: {
   notifyOnExitEmptySuccess?: boolean;
   scopeKey?: string;
   sessionKey?: string;
-  timeoutSec: number;
+  timeoutSec: number | null;
   onUpdate?: (partialResult: AgentToolResult<ExecToolDetails>) => void;
 }): Promise<ExecProcessHandle> {
   const startedAt = Date.now();
@@ -504,7 +504,9 @@ export async function runExecProcess(opts: {
       }
       const reason =
         exit.reason === "overall-timeout"
-          ? `Command timed out after ${opts.timeoutSec} seconds`
+          ? typeof opts.timeoutSec === "number" && opts.timeoutSec > 0
+            ? `Command timed out after ${opts.timeoutSec} seconds`
+            : "Command timed out"
           : exit.reason === "no-output-timeout"
             ? "Command timed out waiting for output"
             : exit.exitSignal != null
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.background-abort.test.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.background-abort.test.ts
index 4767c265a8a..0e312e64687 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.background-abort.test.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.background-abort.test.ts
@@ -142,6 +142,35 @@ test("background exec still times out after tool signal abort", async () => {
   });
 });
 
+test("background exec without explicit timeout ignores default timeout", async () => {
+  const tool = createTestExecTool({
+    allowBackground: true,
+    backgroundMs: 0,
+    timeoutSec: BACKGROUND_TIMEOUT_SEC,
+  });
+  const result = await tool.execute("toolcall", { command: BACKGROUND_HOLD_CMD, background: true });
+  expect(result.details.status).toBe("running");
+  const sessionId = (result.details as { sessionId: string }).sessionId;
+  const waitMs = Math.max(ABORT_SETTLE_MS + 120, BACKGROUND_TIMEOUT_SEC * 1000 + 120);
+
+  const startedAt = Date.now();
+  await expect
+    .poll(
+      () => {
+        const running = getSession(sessionId);
+        const finished = getFinishedSession(sessionId);
+        return Date.now() - startedAt >= waitMs && !finished && running?.exited === false;
+      },
+      {
+        timeout: waitMs + ABORT_WAIT_TIMEOUT_MS,
+        interval: POLL_INTERVAL_MS,
+      },
+    )
+    .toBe(true);
+
+  cleanupRunningSession(sessionId);
+});
+
 test("yielded background exec is not killed when tool signal aborts", async () => {
   const tool = createTestExecTool({ allowBackground: true, backgroundMs: 10 });
   await expectBackgroundSessionSurvivesAbort({
diff --git a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
index 6b41db5fe4f..1d0b416a6b2 100644
--- a/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
+++ b/src/agents/bash-tools.exec.ts
@@ -442,8 +442,12 @@ export function createExecTool(
         execCommandOverride = gatewayResult.execCommandOverride;
       }
 
-      const effectiveTimeout =
-        typeof params.timeout === "number" ? params.timeout : defaultTimeoutSec;
+      const explicitTimeoutSec = typeof params.timeout === "number" ? params.timeout : null;
+      const backgroundTimeoutBypass =
+        allowBackground && explicitTimeoutSec === null && (backgroundRequested || yieldRequested);
+      const effectiveTimeout = backgroundTimeoutBypass
+        ? null
+        : (explicitTimeoutSec ?? defaultTimeoutSec);
       const getWarningText = () => (warnings.length ? `${warnings.join("\n")}\n\n` : "");
       const usePty = params.pty === true && !sandbox;