diff --git a/src/secrets/resolve.test.ts b/src/secrets/resolve.test.ts
index fe53b6f73..990ce508b 100644
--- a/src/secrets/resolve.test.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/resolve.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import os from "node:os";
 import path from "node:path";
-import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 import type { OpenClawConfig } from "../config/config.js";
 import { resolveSecretRefString, resolveSecretRefValue } from "./resolve.js";
 
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ describe("secret ref resolver", () => {
   const cleanupRoots: string[] = [];
 
   afterEach(async () => {
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
     while (cleanupRoots.length > 0) {
       const root = cleanupRoots.pop();
       if (!root) {
@@ -280,6 +281,56 @@ describe("secret ref resolver", () => {
     expect(value).toBe("raw-token-value");
   });
 
+  it("times out file provider reads when timeoutMs elapses", async () => {
+    if (process.platform === "win32") {
+      return;
+    }
+    const root = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), "openclaw-secrets-resolve-timeout-"));
+    cleanupRoots.push(root);
+    const filePath = path.join(root, "secrets.json");
+    await writeSecureFile(
+      filePath,
+      JSON.stringify({
+        providers: {
+          openai: {
+            apiKey: "sk-file-value",
+          },
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+
+    const originalReadFile = fs.readFile.bind(fs);
+    vi.spyOn(fs, "readFile").mockImplementation(((
+      targetPath: Parameters<typeof fs.readFile>[0],
+      options?: Parameters<typeof fs.readFile>[1],
+    ) => {
+      if (typeof targetPath === "string" && targetPath === filePath) {
+        return new Promise<Buffer>(() => {});
+      }
+      return originalReadFile(targetPath, options);
+    }) as typeof fs.readFile);
+
+    await expect(
+      resolveSecretRefString(
+        { source: "file", provider: "filemain", id: "/providers/openai/apiKey" },
+        {
+          config: {
+            secrets: {
+              providers: {
+                filemain: {
+                  source: "file",
+                  path: filePath,
+                  mode: "jsonPointer",
+                  timeoutMs: 5,
+                },
+              },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      ),
+    ).rejects.toThrow('File provider "filemain" timed out');
+  });
+
   it("rejects misconfigured provider source mismatches", async () => {
     await expect(
       resolveSecretRefValue(
diff --git a/src/secrets/resolve.ts b/src/secrets/resolve.ts
index 5060d99b8..bb83654a4 100644
--- a/src/secrets/resolve.ts
+++ b/src/secrets/resolve.ts
@@ -188,11 +188,20 @@ async function readFileProviderPayload(params: {
       DEFAULT_FILE_TIMEOUT_MS,
     );
     const maxBytes = normalizePositiveInt(params.providerConfig.maxBytes, DEFAULT_FILE_MAX_BYTES);
-    const timeoutHandle = setTimeout(() => {
-      // noop marker to keep timeout behavior explicit and deterministic
-    }, timeoutMs);
+    const abortController = new AbortController();
+    const timeoutErrorMessage = `File provider "${params.providerName}" timed out after ${timeoutMs}ms.`;
+    let timeoutHandle: NodeJS.Timeout | null = null;
+    const timeoutPromise = new Promise<never>((_resolve, reject) => {
+      timeoutHandle = setTimeout(() => {
+        abortController.abort();
+        reject(new Error(timeoutErrorMessage));
+      }, timeoutMs);
+    });
     try {
-      const payload = await fs.readFile(filePath);
+      const payload = await Promise.race([
+        fs.readFile(filePath, { signal: abortController.signal }),
+        timeoutPromise,
+      ]);
       if (payload.byteLength > maxBytes) {
         throw new Error(`File provider "${params.providerName}" exceeded maxBytes (${maxBytes}).`);
       }
@@ -205,8 +214,15 @@ async function readFileProviderPayload(params: {
         throw new Error(`File provider "${params.providerName}" payload is not a JSON object.`);
       }
       return parsed;
+    } catch (error) {
+      if (error instanceof Error && error.name === "AbortError") {
+        throw new Error(timeoutErrorMessage, { cause: error });
+      }
+      throw error;
     } finally {
-      clearTimeout(timeoutHandle);
+      if (timeoutHandle) {
+        clearTimeout(timeoutHandle);
+      }
     }
   })();