diff --git a/planetwars-server/src/modules/bot_api.rs b/planetwars-server/src/modules/bot_api.rs
index f6e4d5c..f5aae20 100644
--- a/planetwars-server/src/modules/bot_api.rs
+++ b/planetwars-server/src/modules/bot_api.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@ use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::net::SocketAddr;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::{Arc, Mutex};
+use std::time::Duration;
 
-use runner::match_context::{EventBus, PlayerHandle, RequestMessage};
+use runner::match_context::{EventBus, PlayerHandle, RequestError, RequestMessage};
 use runner::match_log::MatchLogger;
 use tokio::sync::{mpsc, oneshot};
 use tokio_stream::wrappers::UnboundedReceiverStream;
@@ -114,10 +115,16 @@ impl runner::BotSpec for RemoteBotSpec {
         );
 
         let client_messages = rx.await.unwrap();
-        tokio::spawn(handle_bot_messages(player_id, event_bus, client_messages));
+        tokio::spawn(handle_bot_messages(
+            player_id,
+            event_bus.clone(),
+            client_messages,
+        ));
 
         Box::new(RemoteBotHandle {
             sender: server_msg_snd,
+            player_id,
+            event_bus,
         })
     }
 }
@@ -138,19 +145,59 @@ async fn handle_bot_messages(
 
 struct RemoteBotHandle {
     sender: mpsc::UnboundedSender<Result<pb::PlayerRequest, Status>>,
+    player_id: u32,
+    event_bus: Arc<Mutex<EventBus>>,
 }
 
 impl PlayerHandle for RemoteBotHandle {
     fn send_request(&mut self, r: RequestMessage) {
-        self.sender
-            .send(Ok(pb::PlayerRequest {
-                request_id: r.request_id as i32,
-                content: r.content,
-            }))
-            .unwrap();
+        let res = self.sender.send(Ok(pb::PlayerRequest {
+            request_id: r.request_id as i32,
+            content: r.content,
+        }));
+        match res {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                // schedule a timeout. See comments at method implementation
+                tokio::spawn(schedule_timeout(
+                    (self.player_id, r.request_id),
+                    r.timeout,
+                    self.event_bus.clone(),
+                ));
+            }
+            Err(_send_error) => {
+                // cannot contact the remote bot anymore;
+                // directly mark all requests as timed out.
+                // TODO: create a dedicated error type for this.
+                // should it be logged?
+                self.event_bus
+                    .lock()
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .resolve_request((self.player_id, r.request_id), Err(RequestError::Timeout));
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
 
+// TODO: this will spawn a task for every request, which might not be ideal.
+// Some alternatives:
+//  - create a single task that manages all time-outs.
+//  - intersperse timeouts with incoming client messages
+//  - push timeouts upwards, into the matchrunner logic (before we hit the playerhandle).
+//    This was initially not done to allow timer start to be delayed until the message actually arrived
+//    with the player. Is this still needed, or is there a different way to do this?
+//
+async fn schedule_timeout(
+    request_id: (u32, u32),
+    duration: Duration,
+    event_bus: Arc<Mutex<EventBus>>,
+) {
+    tokio::time::sleep(duration).await;
+    event_bus
+        .lock()
+        .unwrap()
+        .resolve_request(request_id, Err(RequestError::Timeout));
+}
+
 async fn run_match(router: PlayerRouter, pool: ConnectionPool) {
     let conn = pool.get().await.unwrap();