diff --git a/exposureinitializer/exposureinitializer.py b/exposureinitializer/exposureinitializer.py
index 9ca3c5b0929776665817925248afaa32a69733e9..86ba152c381a97f2c8deb123a9e1da4b489ff041 100644
--- a/exposureinitializer/exposureinitializer.py
+++ b/exposureinitializer/exposureinitializer.py
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ def command_line_interface():
             "port": postgis_config["Exposure"]["port"],
             "username": postgis_config["Exposure"]["username"],
             "password": postgis_config["Exposure"]["password"],
+            "timeout": postgis_config["Exposure"].get("timeout", None),
         }
         exposure_database_object = PostGISExposure(**exposure_db_config)