diff --git a/src/lib/ae_api/api_delete_object.ts b/src/lib/ae_api/api_delete_object.ts
index 4a6ef9e8..b7d991c3 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_api/api_delete_object.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ae_api/api_delete_object.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import { browser } from '$app/environment';
+import { ae_auth_error } from '$lib/stores/ae_stores';
 import type { key_val } from '$lib/stores/ae_stores';
 
 /**
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ export const delete_object = async function delete_object({
     headers = {},
     params = {},
     data = {},
-    timeout = 60000,
+    timeout = 20000,
     return_meta = false,
     log_lvl = 0,
     retry_count = 5
@@ -200,6 +202,17 @@ export const delete_object = async function delete_object({
                     response.status === 403 ||
                     response.status === 422
                 ) {
+                    if (response.status === 401 || response.status === 403) {
+                        console.warn(
+                            `AUTH DIAGNOSTICS (DELETE): Headers sent for ${endpoint}:`,
+                            {
+                                has_api_key: !!headers_cleaned['x-aether-api-key'],
+                                has_account_id: !!headers_cleaned['x-account-id']
+                            }
+                        );
+                        // Signal the root layout to show the session-expired banner.
+                        if (browser) ae_auth_error.set({ type: 'expired', ts: Date.now() });
+                    }
                     return false;
                 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/ae_api/api_patch_object.ts b/src/lib/ae_api/api_patch_object.ts
index d4c5f5ee..4d7a309f 100644
--- a/src/lib/ae_api/api_patch_object.ts
+++ b/src/lib/ae_api/api_patch_object.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ export const patch_object = async function patch_object({
     headers = {},
     params = {},
     data = {},
-    timeout = 60000,
+    timeout = 20000,
     return_meta = false,
     log_lvl = 0,
     retry_count = 5