diff --git a/py/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config.py b/py/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config.py
index f5eec5aaf9251..288808182863a 100644
--- a/py/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config.py
+++ b/py/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config.py
@@ -105,13 +105,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.extra_headers = extra_headers
 
         self.timeout = (
-            (
-                float(os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT", str(socket.getdefaulttimeout())))
-                if os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT") is not None
-                else socket.getdefaulttimeout()
-            )
-            if timeout is None
-            else timeout
+            float(os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"))
+            if os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT") is not None
+            else (timeout if timeout is not None else socket.getdefaulttimeout())
         )
 
         self.ca_certs = (
@@ -122,7 +118,11 @@ def __init__(
 
     def reset_timeout(self) -> None:
         """Resets the timeout to the default value of socket."""
-        self._timeout = socket.getdefaulttimeout()
+        self._timeout = (
+            float(os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"))
+            if os.getenv("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT") is not None
+            else socket.getdefaulttimeout()
+        )
 
     def get_proxy_url(self) -> Optional[str]:
         """Returns the proxy URL to use for the connection."""
diff --git a/py/test/unit/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config_tests.py b/py/test/unit/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config_tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..31240727f47a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py/test/unit/selenium/webdriver/remote/client_config_tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+# Licensed to the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) under one
+# or more contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file
+# distributed with this work for additional information
+# regarding copyright ownership.  The SFC licenses this file
+# to you under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the
+# "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance
+# with the License.  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#   http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing,
+# software distributed under the License is distributed on an
+# "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY
+# KIND, either express or implied.  See the License for the
+# specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+import os
+import socket
+
+from selenium.webdriver.remote.client_config import ClientConfig
+
+
+def test_timeout_from_env_variable():
+    """Test that timeout is set from GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT environment variable."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    try:
+        os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = "45"
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444")
+        assert config.timeout == 45
+    finally:
+        if original_env is None:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        else:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+
+
+def test_timeout_from_parameter():
+    """Test that timeout is set from constructor parameter when no env variable."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    try:
+        if "GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT" in os.environ:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444", timeout=30)
+        assert config.timeout == 30
+    finally:
+        if original_env is not None:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+
+
+def test_timeout_fallback_to_socket_default():
+    """Test that timeout falls back to socket default when no env variable or parameter."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    original_timeout = socket.getdefaulttimeout()
+    try:
+        if "GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT" in os.environ:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        socket.setdefaulttimeout(60)
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444")
+        assert config.timeout == 60
+    finally:
+        if original_env is not None:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+        socket.setdefaulttimeout(original_timeout)
+
+
+def test_env_variable_priority():
+    """Test that GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT takes priority over parameter."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    try:
+        os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = "45"
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444", timeout=30)
+        assert config.timeout == 45
+    finally:
+        if original_env is None:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        else:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+
+
+def test_reset_timeout_with_env_variable():
+    """Test that reset_timeout() uses GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT when set."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    try:
+        os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = "45"
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444", timeout=30)
+        config.reset_timeout()
+        assert config.timeout == 45
+    finally:
+        if original_env is None:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        else:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+
+
+def test_reset_timeout_without_env_variable():
+    """Test that reset_timeout() uses socket default when no env variable."""
+    original_env = os.environ.get("GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT")
+    original_timeout = socket.getdefaulttimeout()
+    try:
+        if "GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT" in os.environ:
+            del os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"]
+        socket.setdefaulttimeout(60)
+        config = ClientConfig(remote_server_addr="http://localhost:4444", timeout=30)
+        config.reset_timeout()
+        assert config.timeout == 60
+    finally:
+        if original_env is not None:
+            os.environ["GLOBAL_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT"] = original_env
+        socket.setdefaulttimeout(original_timeout)