diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bfa76a89a..a1173414d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 - Uploading custom instance thumbnail via AdminAPI/AdminFE generated invalid URL to the image
 - Applying ConcurrentLimiter settings via AdminAPI
 - User login failures if their `notification_settings` were in a NULL state.
+- Mix task `pleroma.user delete_activities` query transaction timeout is now :infinity
 
 ## [2.3.0] - 2020-03-01
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/utils.ex b/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
index bc0c95332..a446d3ae6 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/utils.ex
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Utils do
     eperm epipe erange erofs espipe esrch estale etxtbsy exdev
   )a
 
+  @repo_timeout Pleroma.Config.get([Pleroma.Repo, :timeout], 15_000)
+
   def compile_dir(dir) when is_binary(dir) do
     dir
     |> File.ls!()
@@ -63,4 +65,21 @@ def posix_error_message(code) when code in @posix_error_codes do
   end
 
   def posix_error_message(_), do: ""
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns [timeout: integer] suitable for passing as an option to Repo functions.
+
+  This function detects if the execution was triggered from IEx shell, Mix task, or
+  ./bin/pleroma_ctl and sets the timeout to :infinity, else returns the default timeout value.
+  """
+  @spec query_timeout() :: [timeout: integer]
+  def query_timeout do
+    {parent, _, _, _} = Process.info(self(), :current_stacktrace) |> elem(1) |> Enum.fetch!(2)
+
+    cond do
+      parent |> to_string |> String.starts_with?("Elixir.Mix.Task") -> [timeout: :infinity]
+      parent == :erl_eval -> [timeout: :infinity]
+      true -> [timeout: @repo_timeout]
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/pipeline.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/pipeline.ex
index 377eccb92..a0f2e0312 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/pipeline.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/activity_pub/pipeline.ex
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Pipeline do
   alias Pleroma.Config
   alias Pleroma.Object
   alias Pleroma.Repo
+  alias Pleroma.Utils
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ActivityPub
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.MRF
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.ObjectValidator
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Pipeline do
   @spec common_pipeline(map(), keyword()) ::
           {:ok, Activity.t() | Object.t(), keyword()} | {:error, any()}
   def common_pipeline(object, meta) do
-    case Repo.transaction(fn -> do_common_pipeline(object, meta) end) do
+    case Repo.transaction(fn -> do_common_pipeline(object, meta) end, Utils.query_timeout()) do
       {:ok, {:ok, activity, meta}} ->
         @side_effects.handle_after_transaction(meta)
         {:ok, activity, meta}