diff --git a/src/tower/_storage.py b/src/tower/_storage.py
index ebe5ca1a..bff78bc1 100644
--- a/src/tower/_storage.py
+++ b/src/tower/_storage.py
@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 
 from ._client import _env_client
 from ._context import TowerContext
+from .tower_api_client.api.default import describe_catalog as describe_catalog_api
 from .tower_api_client.api.default import (
     describe_default_catalog as describe_default_catalog_api,
 )
-from .tower_api_client.api.default import describe_catalog as describe_catalog_api
 from .tower_api_client.api.default import (
     vend_catalog_credentials as vend_catalog_credentials_api,
 )
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@
 from .tower_api_client.types import UNSET, Unset
 
 CREDENTIAL_REFRESH_WINDOW = timedelta(minutes=5)
+# how long to wait for a catalog type describe request to complete
+CATALOG_TYPE_DESCRIBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 2.0
+# only cache failed catalog type describe requests for this long
+# retry only after this period
+CATALOG_TYPE_FAILURE_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS = 30.0
 DEFAULT_CATALOG_PROVISION_RETRY_DELAYS = (0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0)
 DEFAULT_CATALOG_NAME = "default"
 DEFAULT_ENVIRONMENT_NAME = "default"
@@ -44,8 +49,14 @@ def is_usable(self, now: datetime) -> bool:
         return now < expires_at - CREDENTIAL_REFRESH_WINDOW
 
 
+@dataclass
+class _CachedCatalogType:
+    catalog_type: str | None
+    retry_at: float | None = None
+
+
 _credential_cache: dict[tuple[str, str, str, str, str], _CachedCredentials] = {}
-_catalog_type_cache: dict[tuple[str, str, str], str | None] = {}
+_catalog_type_cache: dict[tuple[str, str, str], _CachedCatalogType] = {}
 
 
 def get_tower_catalog(
@@ -136,13 +147,20 @@ def _describe_tower_catalog_type(
         return None
 
     cache_key = (ctx.tower_url, name, environment)
-    if cache_key in _catalog_type_cache:
-        return _catalog_type_cache[cache_key]
+    cached = _catalog_type_cache.get(cache_key)
+    if cached is not None:
+        if cached.retry_at is None:
+            return cached.catalog_type
+
+        if time.monotonic() < cached.retry_at:
+            return None
+
+        _catalog_type_cache.pop(cache_key, None)
 
     try:
         result = describe_catalog_api.sync(
             name=name,
-            client=_env_client(ctx),
+            client=_env_client(ctx, timeout=CATALOG_TYPE_DESCRIBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS),
             environment=environment,
         )
     except Exception:
@@ -153,11 +171,12 @@ def _describe_tower_catalog_type(
             environment,
             exc_info=True,
         )
+        _catalog_type_cache[cache_key] = _failed_catalog_type_cache_entry()
         return None
 
     if isinstance(result, DescribeCatalogResponse):
         catalog_type = result.catalog.type_
-        _catalog_type_cache[cache_key] = catalog_type
+        _catalog_type_cache[cache_key] = _CachedCatalogType(catalog_type=catalog_type)
         return catalog_type
 
     if isinstance(result, ErrorModel):
@@ -169,10 +188,17 @@ def _describe_tower_catalog_type(
             _error_text(result),
         )
 
-    _catalog_type_cache[cache_key] = None
+    _catalog_type_cache[cache_key] = _failed_catalog_type_cache_entry()
     return None
 
 
+def _failed_catalog_type_cache_entry() -> _CachedCatalogType:
+    return _CachedCatalogType(
+        catalog_type=None,
+        retry_at=time.monotonic() + CATALOG_TYPE_FAILURE_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS,
+    )
+
+
 def _ensure_legacy_default_catalog(ctx: TowerContext) -> None:
     try:
         response = describe_default_catalog_api.sync_detailed(client=_env_client(ctx))
diff --git a/tests/tower/test_storage.py b/tests/tower/test_storage.py
index 2187b57f..43c70842 100644
--- a/tests/tower/test_storage.py
+++ b/tests/tower/test_storage.py
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 from tower._context import TowerContext
 from tower import _storage
 from tower.tower_api_client.models import (
+    Catalog,
     CatalogCredentials,
+    DescribeCatalogResponse,
     ErrorModel,
     VendCatalogCredentialsResponse,
 )
@@ -181,3 +183,69 @@ def legacy_default(ctx):
 
     assert result is credentials
     assert len(legacy_calls) == 2
+
+
+def test_describe_tower_catalog_type_uses_timeout_and_recovers_after_cooldown(
+    monkeypatch,
+):
+    _storage._clear_credential_cache()
+    ctx = TowerContext(
+        tower_url="https://api.example.com",
+        environment="production",
+        api_key="api-key",
+    )
+    now = {"value": 100.0}
+    calls = []
+
+    def describe_catalog_api_sync(name, client, environment):
+        calls.append((name, environment, client._timeout))
+        if len(calls) == 1:
+            raise TimeoutError("describe timed out")
+
+        return DescribeCatalogResponse(
+            catalog=Catalog(
+                created_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+                environment=environment,
+                name=name,
+                properties=[],
+                type_="s3-tables",
+            )
+        )
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(_storage.time, "monotonic", lambda: now["value"])
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        _storage.describe_catalog_api, "sync", describe_catalog_api_sync
+    )
+
+    assert _storage._describe_tower_catalog_type(ctx, "s3-tables", "production") is None
+    assert _storage._describe_tower_catalog_type(ctx, "s3-tables", "production") is None
+    assert calls == [
+        (
+            "s3-tables",
+            "production",
+            _storage.CATALOG_TYPE_DESCRIBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
+        )
+    ]
+
+    now["value"] += _storage.CATALOG_TYPE_FAILURE_CACHE_TTL_SECONDS + 0.1
+
+    assert (
+        _storage._describe_tower_catalog_type(ctx, "s3-tables", "production")
+        == "s3-tables"
+    )
+    assert (
+        _storage._describe_tower_catalog_type(ctx, "s3-tables", "production")
+        == "s3-tables"
+    )
+    assert calls == [
+        (
+            "s3-tables",
+            "production",
+            _storage.CATALOG_TYPE_DESCRIBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
+        ),
+        (
+            "s3-tables",
+            "production",
+            _storage.CATALOG_TYPE_DESCRIBE_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
+        ),
+    ]