diff --git a/core/src/plugins/exec/config.ts b/core/src/plugins/exec/config.ts
index 1e1341ab78..c76c81d7d2 100644
--- a/core/src/plugins/exec/config.ts
+++ b/core/src/plugins/exec/config.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import {
 } from "../../config/common"
 import { ArtifactSpec } from "../../config/validation"
 import { dedent } from "../../util/string"
+import { DEFAULT_RUN_TIMEOUT_SEC } from "../../constants"
 
 const execPathDoc = dedent`
   Note that if a Build is referenced in the \`build\` field, the command will be run from the build directory for that Build action. If that Build has \`buildAtSource: true\` set, the command will be run from the source directory of the Build action. If no \`build\` reference is set, the command is run from the source directory of this action.
@@ -53,6 +54,7 @@ const execCommonSchema = createSchema({
   `),
   }),
 })
+
 // BUILD //
 
 export interface ExecBuildActionSpec extends CommonKeys {
@@ -60,6 +62,7 @@ export interface ExecBuildActionSpec extends CommonKeys {
   timeout?: number
   env: StringMap
 }
+
 export type ExecBuildConfig = BuildActionConfig<"exec", ExecBuildActionSpec>
 export type ExecBuild = BuildAction<ExecBuildConfig, ExecOutputs>
 
@@ -97,7 +100,7 @@ export interface ExecDeployActionSpec extends CommonKeys {
   cleanupCommand?: string[]
   deployCommand: string[]
   statusCommand?: string[]
-  timeout?: number
+  timeout: number
   statusTimeout: number
   env: StringMap
 }
@@ -159,8 +162,7 @@ export const execDeployActionSchema = createSchema({
         ${execPathDoc}
         `
       ),
-    // TODO-0.13.0: Set a default in v0.13.0.
-    timeout: joi.number().description(dedent`
+    timeout: joi.number().integer().min(1).default(DEFAULT_RUN_TIMEOUT_SEC).description(dedent`
       The maximum duration (in seconds) to wait for \`deployCommand\` to exit. Ignored if \`persistent: false\`.
     `),
     statusTimeout: joi.number().default(defaultStatusTimeout).description(dedent`
@@ -204,6 +206,7 @@ export const execRunActionSchema = createSchema({
 // TEST //
 
 export interface ExecTestActionSpec extends ExecRunActionSpec {}
+
 export type ExecTestConfig = TestActionConfig<"exec", ExecTestActionSpec>
 export type ExecTest = TestAction<ExecTestConfig, ExecOutputs>
 
diff --git a/docs/reference/action-types/Deploy/exec.md b/docs/reference/action-types/Deploy/exec.md
index a51ebc0e1e..70003836ba 100644
--- a/docs/reference/action-types/Deploy/exec.md
+++ b/docs/reference/action-types/Deploy/exec.md
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ spec:
   cleanupCommand:
 
   # The maximum duration (in seconds) to wait for `deployCommand` to exit. Ignored if `persistent: false`.
-  timeout:
+  timeout: 600
 
   # The maximum duration (in seconds) to wait for a for the `statusCommand` to return a zero exit code. Ignored if no
   # `statusCommand` is set.
@@ -515,9 +515,9 @@ Note that if a Build is referenced in the `build` field, the command will be run
 
 The maximum duration (in seconds) to wait for `deployCommand` to exit. Ignored if `persistent: false`.
 
-| Type     | Required |
-| -------- | -------- |
-| `number` | No       |
+| Type     | Default | Required |
+| -------- | ------- | -------- |
+| `number` | `600`   | No       |
 
 ### `spec.statusTimeout`