diff --git a/docs/browser.md b/docs/browser.md
index 48b89e264..54cfe5cad 100644
--- a/docs/browser.md
+++ b/docs/browser.md
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ Actions:
 
 Notes:
 - `upload` and `dialog` are **arming** calls; run them before the click/press that triggers the chooser/dialog.
+- The arm default timeout is **30s**; pass `timeoutMs` if you need longer.
 - `snapshot --format ai` returns AI snapshot markup used for ref-based actions.
 
 ## Security & privacy notes
diff --git a/src/browser/pw-tools-core.test.ts b/src/browser/pw-tools-core.test.ts
index 4c2cfbd65..d56cf48f1 100644
--- a/src/browser/pw-tools-core.test.ts
+++ b/src/browser/pw-tools-core.test.ts
@@ -2,17 +2,14 @@ import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 let currentPage: Record<string, unknown> | null = null;
 let currentRefLocator: Record<string, unknown> | null = null;
+let pageState: { console: unknown[]; armIdUpload: number; armIdDialog: number };
 
 const sessionMocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   getPageForTargetId: vi.fn(async () => {
     if (!currentPage) throw new Error("missing page");
     return currentPage;
   }),
-  ensurePageState: vi.fn(() => ({
-    console: [],
-    armIdUpload: 0,
-    armIdDialog: 0,
-  })),
+  ensurePageState: vi.fn(() => pageState),
   refLocator: vi.fn(() => {
     if (!currentRefLocator) throw new Error("missing locator");
     return currentRefLocator;
@@ -29,6 +26,7 @@ describe("pw-tools-core", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     currentPage = null;
     currentRefLocator = null;
+    pageState = { console: [], armIdUpload: 0, armIdDialog: 0 };
     for (const fn of Object.values(sessionMocks)) fn.mockClear();
   });
 
@@ -107,4 +105,122 @@ describe("pw-tools-core", () => {
       }),
     ).rejects.toThrow(/fullPage is not supported/i);
   });
+
+  it("arms the next file chooser and sets files (default timeout)", async () => {
+    const fileChooser = { setFiles: vi.fn(async () => {}) };
+    const waitForEvent = vi.fn(
+      async (_event: string, _opts: unknown) => fileChooser,
+    );
+    currentPage = {
+      waitForEvent,
+      keyboard: { press: vi.fn(async () => {}) },
+    };
+
+    const mod = await importModule();
+    await mod.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({
+      cdpPort: 18792,
+      targetId: "T1",
+      paths: ["/tmp/a.txt"],
+    });
+
+    // waitForEvent is awaited immediately; handler continues async.
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(waitForEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith("filechooser", {
+      timeout: 30_000,
+    });
+    expect(fileChooser.setFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["/tmp/a.txt"]);
+  });
+
+  it("arms the next file chooser and escapes if no paths provided", async () => {
+    const fileChooser = { setFiles: vi.fn(async () => {}) };
+    const press = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const waitForEvent = vi.fn(async () => fileChooser);
+    currentPage = {
+      waitForEvent,
+      keyboard: { press },
+    };
+
+    const mod = await importModule();
+    await mod.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({ cdpPort: 18792, paths: [] });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(fileChooser.setFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(press).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Escape");
+  });
+
+  it("last file-chooser arm wins", async () => {
+    let resolve1: ((value: unknown) => void) | null = null;
+    let resolve2: ((value: unknown) => void) | null = null;
+
+    const fc1 = { setFiles: vi.fn(async () => {}) };
+    const fc2 = { setFiles: vi.fn(async () => {}) };
+
+    const waitForEvent = vi
+      .fn()
+      .mockImplementationOnce(
+        () =>
+          new Promise((r) => {
+            resolve1 = r;
+          }) as Promise<unknown>,
+      )
+      .mockImplementationOnce(
+        () =>
+          new Promise((r) => {
+            resolve2 = r;
+          }) as Promise<unknown>,
+      );
+
+    currentPage = {
+      waitForEvent,
+      keyboard: { press: vi.fn(async () => {}) },
+    };
+
+    const mod = await importModule();
+    await mod.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({ cdpPort: 18792, paths: ["/tmp/1"] });
+    await mod.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({ cdpPort: 18792, paths: ["/tmp/2"] });
+
+    resolve1?.(fc1);
+    resolve2?.(fc2);
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(fc1.setFiles).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(fc2.setFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(["/tmp/2"]);
+  });
+
+  it("arms the next dialog and accepts/dismisses (default timeout)", async () => {
+    const accept = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const dismiss = vi.fn(async () => {});
+    const dialog = { accept, dismiss };
+    const waitForEvent = vi.fn(async () => dialog);
+    currentPage = {
+      waitForEvent,
+    };
+
+    const mod = await importModule();
+    await mod.armDialogViaPlaywright({
+      cdpPort: 18792,
+      accept: true,
+      promptText: "x",
+    });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(waitForEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith("dialog", { timeout: 30_000 });
+    expect(accept).toHaveBeenCalledWith("x");
+    expect(dismiss).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    accept.mockClear();
+    dismiss.mockClear();
+    waitForEvent.mockClear();
+
+    await mod.armDialogViaPlaywright({
+      cdpPort: 18792,
+      accept: false,
+    });
+    await Promise.resolve();
+
+    expect(waitForEvent).toHaveBeenCalledWith("dialog", { timeout: 30_000 });
+    expect(dismiss).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(accept).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/browser/pw-tools-core.ts b/src/browser/pw-tools-core.ts
index e69a87e7b..d28c44973 100644
--- a/src/browser/pw-tools-core.ts
+++ b/src/browser/pw-tools-core.ts
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ export async function armFileUploadViaPlaywright(opts: {
 }): Promise<void> {
   const page = await getPageForTargetId(opts);
   const state = ensurePageState(page);
-  const timeout = Math.max(500, Math.min(60_000, opts.timeoutMs ?? 10_000));
+  const timeout = Math.max(500, Math.min(120_000, opts.timeoutMs ?? 30_000));
 
   state.armIdUpload = nextUploadArmId += 1;
   const armId = state.armIdUpload;
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ export async function armDialogViaPlaywright(opts: {
 }): Promise<void> {
   const page = await getPageForTargetId(opts);
   const state = ensurePageState(page);
-  const timeout = Math.max(500, Math.min(60_000, opts.timeoutMs ?? 10_000));
+  const timeout = Math.max(500, Math.min(120_000, opts.timeoutMs ?? 30_000));
 
   state.armIdDialog = nextDialogArmId += 1;
   const armId = state.armIdDialog;
diff --git a/src/cli/browser-cli-actions-input.ts b/src/cli/browser-cli-actions-input.ts
index c7e92a926..a18bc7be1 100644
--- a/src/cli/browser-cli-actions-input.ts
+++ b/src/cli/browser-cli-actions-input.ts
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ export function registerBrowserActionInputCommands(
     .option("--target-id <id>", "CDP target id (or unique prefix)")
     .option(
       "--timeout-ms <ms>",
-      "How long to wait for the next file chooser (default: 10000)",
+      "How long to wait for the next file chooser (default: 30000)",
       (v: string) => Number(v),
     )
     .action(async (paths: string[], opts, cmd) => {
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ export function registerBrowserActionInputCommands(
     .option("--target-id <id>", "CDP target id (or unique prefix)")
     .option(
       "--timeout-ms <ms>",
-      "How long to wait for the next dialog (default: 10000)",
+      "How long to wait for the next dialog (default: 30000)",
       (v: string) => Number(v),
     )
     .action(async (opts, cmd) => {