diff --git a/docs/changelog/128338.yaml b/docs/changelog/128338.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..28b8ba49ff054
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/changelog/128338.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+pr: 128338
+summary: Pass timeout to chat completion
+area: Machine Learning
+type: bug
+issues: []
diff --git a/x-pack/plugin/inference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/action/TransportUnifiedCompletionInferenceAction.java b/x-pack/plugin/inference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/action/TransportUnifiedCompletionInferenceAction.java
index 1144a11d86cc9..7f90266e0b78e 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugin/inference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/action/TransportUnifiedCompletionInferenceAction.java
+++ b/x-pack/plugin/inference/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/xpack/inference/action/TransportUnifiedCompletionInferenceAction.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ protected void doInference(
         InferenceService service,
         ActionListener<InferenceServiceResults> listener
     ) {
-        service.unifiedCompletionInfer(model, request.getUnifiedCompletionRequest(), null, listener);
+        service.unifiedCompletionInfer(model, request.getUnifiedCompletionRequest(), request.getTimeout(), listener);
     }
 
     @Override