diff --git a/src/fgai/monitor.py b/src/fgai/monitor.py
index 740b5ed..b6f2242 100644
--- a/src/fgai/monitor.py
+++ b/src/fgai/monitor.py
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ def _range_seconds(value: object) -> int:
         return 300
 
 
+def monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds(mcp_poll_timeout: int, mcp_call_timeout: int) -> int:
+    return max(600, mcp_poll_timeout + max(180, mcp_call_timeout * 8))
+
+
 def _graylog_fields_from_result(result: dict[str, object]) -> list[dict[str, object]]:
     content = result.get("result", {}).get("content", []) if isinstance(result.get("result"), dict) else []
     text = next((item.get("text", "") for item in content if isinstance(item, dict)), "")
@@ -743,7 +747,7 @@ def monitor_loop(
         if runtime.get("log_source") == "graylog_mcp":
             write_refreshing_status(output, cache_path=status_cache_path, call_timeout_seconds=mcp_call_timeout, poll_timeout_seconds=mcp_poll_timeout, runtime_values=runtime)
         try:
-            status_timeout = mcp_poll_timeout + max(90, mcp_call_timeout * 4)
+            status_timeout = monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds(mcp_poll_timeout, mcp_call_timeout)
             with _cycle_timeout(status_timeout if runtime.get("log_source") == "graylog_mcp" else 0):
                 status = build_status(
                     log_path, policy_path=policy_path, anomaly_limit=anomaly_limit,
diff --git a/tests/test_monitor.py b/tests/test_monitor.py
index 1ba091b..73b7ca7 100644
--- a/tests/test_monitor.py
+++ b/tests/test_monitor.py
@@ -6,10 +6,15 @@ from unittest.mock import patch
 
 from fgai.history import StatusSnapshotStore
 from fgai.history import FieldDiscoveryStore
-from fgai.monitor import add_llm_assessment, build_status, cached_status_with_error, write_refreshing_status, write_status
+from fgai.monitor import add_llm_assessment, build_status, cached_status_with_error, monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds, write_refreshing_status, write_status
 
 
 class MonitorTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_monitor_cycle_timeout_keeps_large_buffer(self):
+        self.assertEqual(monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds(120, 8), 600)
+        self.assertEqual(monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds(240, 8), 600)
+        self.assertEqual(monitor_cycle_timeout_seconds(900, 8), 1080)
+
     def test_build_status_from_log_file(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmp:
             log_path = Path(tmp) / "fg.log"