diff --git a/cmd/goat/repo.go b/cmd/goat/repo.go
index 97f2b81a2..3ecb4edf6 100644
--- a/cmd/goat/repo.go
+++ b/cmd/goat/repo.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/atproto/syntax"
 	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/repo"
 	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/xrpc"
+	"github.com/bluesky-social/indigo/util"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
 	"github.com/urfave/cli/v2"
@@ -93,6 +94,10 @@ func runRepoExport(cctx *cli.Context) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no PDS endpoint for identity")
 	}
 
+	// set longer timeout, for large CAR files
+	xrpcc.Client = util.RobustHTTPClient()
+	xrpcc.Client.Timeout = 180 * time.Second
+
 	carPath := cctx.String("output")
 	if carPath == "" {
 		// NOTE: having the rev in the the path might be nice