diff --git a/src/builder.rs b/src/builder.rs
index 1ab3c7b4d..56f3f3730 100644
--- a/src/builder.rs
+++ b/src/builder.rs
@@ -558,21 +558,25 @@ fn build_with_store_internal(
 
 	let (blockchain, tx_sync, tx_broadcaster, fee_estimator) = match chain_data_source_config {
 		Some(ChainDataSourceConfig::Esplora(server_url)) => {
+			log_info!(logger, "Using custom esplora server: {}", server_url);
 			let mut client_builder = esplora_client::Builder::new(&server_url.clone());
 			client_builder = client_builder.timeout(DEFAULT_ESPLORA_CLIENT_TIMEOUT_SECS);
-			let esplora_client = client_builder.build_async().unwrap();
+
 			let tx_sync = Arc::new(EsploraSyncClient::from_client(
-				esplora_client.clone(),
+				client_builder.clone().build_async().unwrap(),
 				Arc::clone(&logger),
 			));
-			let blockchain = EsploraBlockchain::from_client(esplora_client, BDK_CLIENT_STOP_GAP)
-				.with_concurrency(BDK_CLIENT_CONCURRENCY);
+			let blockchain = EsploraBlockchain::from_client(
+				client_builder.clone().build_async().unwrap(),
+				BDK_CLIENT_STOP_GAP,
+			)
+			.with_concurrency(BDK_CLIENT_CONCURRENCY);
 			let tx_broadcaster = Arc::new(TransactionBroadcaster::new(
-				tx_sync.client().clone(),
+				client_builder.clone().build_async().unwrap(),
 				Arc::clone(&logger),
 			));
 			let fee_estimator = Arc::new(OnchainFeeEstimator::new(
-				tx_sync.client().clone(),
+				client_builder.clone().build_async().unwrap(),
 				Arc::clone(&config),
 				Arc::clone(&logger),
 			));
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 9fdefccf5..fcf6ee7d9 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ pub(crate) const BDK_CLIENT_CONCURRENCY: u8 = 4;
 pub(crate) const DEFAULT_ESPLORA_SERVER_URL: &str = "https://blockstream.info/api";
 
 // The default Esplora client timeout we're using.
-pub(crate) const DEFAULT_ESPLORA_CLIENT_TIMEOUT_SECS: u64 = 100; // Alby - higher than the sync timeout to avoid deadlocks // 10;
+pub(crate) const DEFAULT_ESPLORA_CLIENT_TIMEOUT_SECS: u64 = 10;
 
 // The timeout after which we abandon retrying failed payments.
 pub(crate) const LDK_PAYMENT_RETRY_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(50); // (10);
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 33b3c8b4a..030b31cff 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -1338,6 +1338,7 @@ impl Node {
 					let now = Instant::now();
 					// We don't add an additional timeout here, as `Wallet::sync` already returns
 					// after a timeout.
+					log_info!(sync_logger, "Starting wallet sync");
 					match wallet.sync().await {
 						Ok(()) => {
 							log_info!(
@@ -1357,6 +1358,7 @@ impl Node {
 						},
 					};
 
+					log_info!(sync_logger, "Starting fee estimates sync");
 					let now = Instant::now();
 					// We don't add an additional timeout here, as
 					// `FeeEstimator::update_fee_estimates` already returns after a timeout.
@@ -1379,6 +1381,7 @@ impl Node {
 						},
 					}
 
+					log_info!(sync_logger, "Starting LDK wallet sync");
 					let now = Instant::now();
 					let tx_sync_timeout_fut = tokio::time::timeout(
 						Duration::from_secs(LDK_WALLET_SYNC_TIMEOUT_SECS),