diff --git a/bindings/rust/src/lib.rs b/bindings/rust/src/lib.rs
index 39706fdd5..15ae191f7 100644
--- a/bindings/rust/src/lib.rs
+++ b/bindings/rust/src/lib.rs
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ impl Connection {
             .inner
             .lock()
             .map_err(|e| Error::MutexError(e.to_string()))?;
-        conn.busy_timeout(duration);
+        conn.set_busy_timeout(duration);
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/lib.rs b/core/lib.rs
index ae8fb31ab..79999a7bb 100644
--- a/core/lib.rs
+++ b/core/lib.rs
@@ -2174,10 +2174,14 @@ impl Connection {
     /// 5. Step through query -> returns Busy -> return Busy to user
     ///
     /// This slight api change demonstrated a better throughtput in `perf/throughput/turso` benchmark
-    pub fn busy_timeout(&self, mut duration: Option<std::time::Duration>) {
+    pub fn set_busy_timeout(&self, mut duration: Option<std::time::Duration>) {
         duration = duration.filter(|duration| !duration.is_zero());
         self.busy_timeout.set(duration);
     }
+
+    pub fn get_busy_timeout(&self) -> Option<std::time::Duration> {
+        self.busy_timeout.get()
+    }
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default)]
diff --git a/core/pragma.rs b/core/pragma.rs
index edcfd21b9..c83509a69 100644
--- a/core/pragma.rs
+++ b/core/pragma.rs
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ pub fn pragma_for(pragma: &PragmaName) -> Pragma {
             PragmaFlags::NoColumns1 | PragmaFlags::Result0,
             &["auto_vacuum"],
         ),
+        BusyTimeout => Pragma::new(
+            PragmaFlags::NoColumns1 | PragmaFlags::Result0,
+            &["busy_timeout"],
+        ),
         IntegrityCheck => Pragma::new(
             PragmaFlags::NeedSchema | PragmaFlags::ReadOnly | PragmaFlags::Result0,
             &["message"],
diff --git a/core/translate/pragma.rs b/core/translate/pragma.rs
index 7fa74e9ca..fa4274ed3 100644
--- a/core/translate/pragma.rs
+++ b/core/translate/pragma.rs
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ fn update_pragma(
             let app_id_value = match data {
                 Value::Integer(i) => i as i32,
                 Value::Float(f) => f as i32,
-                _ => unreachable!(),
+                _ => bail_parse_error!("expected integer, got {:?}", data),
             };
 
             program.emit_insn(Insn::SetCookie {
@@ -110,6 +110,19 @@ fn update_pragma(
             });
             Ok((program, TransactionMode::Write))
         }
+        PragmaName::BusyTimeout => {
+            let data = parse_signed_number(&value)?;
+            let busy_timeout_ms = match data {
+                Value::Integer(i) => i as i32,
+                Value::Float(f) => f as i32,
+                _ => bail_parse_error!("expected integer, got {:?}", data),
+            };
+            let busy_timeout_ms = busy_timeout_ms.max(0);
+            connection.set_busy_timeout(Some(std::time::Duration::from_millis(
+                busy_timeout_ms as u64,
+            )));
+            Ok((program, TransactionMode::Write))
+        }
         PragmaName::CacheSize => {
             let cache_size = match parse_signed_number(&value)? {
                 Value::Integer(size) => size,
@@ -388,6 +401,18 @@ fn query_pragma(
             program.emit_result_row(register, 1);
             Ok((program, TransactionMode::Read))
         }
+        PragmaName::BusyTimeout => {
+            program.emit_int(
+                connection
+                    .get_busy_timeout()
+                    .map(|t| t.as_millis() as i64)
+                    .unwrap_or_default(),
+                register,
+            );
+            program.emit_result_row(register, 1);
+            program.add_pragma_result_column(pragma.to_string());
+            Ok((program, TransactionMode::None))
+        }
         PragmaName::CacheSize => {
             program.emit_int(connection.get_cache_size() as i64, register);
             program.emit_result_row(register, 1);
diff --git a/parser/src/ast.rs b/parser/src/ast.rs
index 3c331107a..988bbab95 100644
--- a/parser/src/ast.rs
+++ b/parser/src/ast.rs
@@ -1312,6 +1312,8 @@ pub enum PragmaName {
     ApplicationId,
     /// set the autovacuum mode
     AutoVacuum,
+    /// set the busy_timeout
+    BusyTimeout,
     /// `cache_size` pragma
     CacheSize,
     /// encryption cipher algorithm name for encrypted databases