diff --git a/cads_catalogue/entry_points.py b/cads_catalogue/entry_points.py
index de69d1d..61b2003 100644
--- a/cads_catalogue/entry_points.py
+++ b/cads_catalogue/entry_points.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     maintenance,
     manager,
     messages,
+    object_storage,
     validations,
 )
 
@@ -210,6 +211,14 @@ def update_catalogue(
         raise ValueError("%r is not a folder" % licences_folder_path)
     if not os.path.isdir(messages_folder_path) and not exclude_messages:
         raise ValueError("%r is not a folder" % messages_folder_path)
+
+    # test object storage connection, with a timeout (it may raise an error)
+    logger.info("testing connection to object storage")
+    storage_settings = config.ensure_storage_settings(config.storagesettings)
+    object_storage.test_connection_with_timeout(
+        15, storage_settings.object_storage_url, storage_settings.storage_kws
+    )
+
     filter_is_active = bool(
         include or exclude or exclude_resources or exclude_licences or exclude_messages
     )
@@ -230,9 +239,6 @@ def update_catalogue(
     logger.info("checking database structure")
     database.init_database(connection_string)
 
-    # get storage parameters from environment
-    storage_settings = config.ensure_storage_settings(config.storagesettings)
-
     paths_db_hash_map = [
         (CATALOGUE_DIR, "catalogue_repo_commit"),
         (resources_folder_path, "metadata_repo_commit"),
diff --git a/cads_catalogue/object_storage.py b/cads_catalogue/object_storage.py
index e70f92b..48c88e5 100644
--- a/cads_catalogue/object_storage.py
+++ b/cads_catalogue/object_storage.py
@@ -134,6 +134,29 @@ def setup_bucket(client, bucket_name) -> None:
             logger.warning(f"unable to set CORS policy on bucket {bucket_name}")
 
 
+def test_connection(object_storage_url, storage_kws):
+    try:
+        client = boto3.client("s3", endpoint_url=object_storage_url, **storage_kws)
+        client.list_buckets()
+        logger.debug("connection to object storage is ok.")
+    except Exception:
+        logger.error(
+            "connection to object storage currently doesn't work. "
+            "Check connection parameters or try again later."
+        )
+        raise
+
+
+def test_connection_with_timeout(timeout, object_storage_url, storage_kws):
+    timeout_msg = (
+        "connection to object storage currently doesn't work. "
+        "Check connection parameters or try again later."
+    )
+    utils.run_function_with_timeout(
+        timeout, timeout_msg, test_connection, args=(object_storage_url, storage_kws)
+    )
+
+
 def store_file(
     file_path: str | pathlib.Path,
     object_storage_url: str,  # type: ignore
diff --git a/cads_catalogue/utils.py b/cads_catalogue/utils.py
index b840e42..5fc9f1f 100644
--- a/cads_catalogue/utils.py
+++ b/cads_catalogue/utils.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import html.parser
 import json
 import mimetypes
+import multiprocessing as mp
 import pathlib
 import subprocess
 import urllib.parse
@@ -35,6 +36,32 @@ def is_url(astring):
     return False
 
 
+def run_function_with_timeout(timeout, timeout_msg, function, args=(), kwargs=None):
+    """Run a function with a timeout inside a child process.
+
+    Raise an error in case of timeout or child process raises an error.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    :param timeout: timeout in seconds
+    :param timeout_msg: timeout message
+    :param function: function to run
+    :param args: args of the function
+    :param kwargs: kwargs of the function
+    """
+    if kwargs is None:
+        kwargs = dict()
+    process = mp.Process(target=function, args=args, kwargs=kwargs)
+    process.start()
+    process.join(timeout=timeout)
+    if process.is_alive():
+        process.terminate()
+        raise TimeoutError(timeout_msg)
+    if process.exitcode == 1:
+        # parent process raises as well
+        raise ValueError(f"error calling {function.__name__}")
+
+
 class TagReplacer(html.parser.HTMLParser):
     """Translate a html text replacing tag data by some functions."""
 
diff --git a/tests/test_01_utils.py b/tests/test_01_utils.py
index 046c6b9..faabe20 100644
--- a/tests/test_01_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_01_utils.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os.path
 import subprocess
+import time
 
 import pytest
 import pytest_mock
@@ -92,3 +93,39 @@ def test_str2bool() -> None:
         assert utils.str2bool(value, raise_if_unknown=False, default=default) == default
     for value in strange_values:
         assert utils.str2bool(value, raise_if_unknown=False) is False
+
+
+def sleep_function(secs, ret_value=None, raises=False):
+    # used to test run_function_with_timeout
+    time.sleep(secs)
+    if raises:
+        raise ValueError("this is a value error")
+    return ret_value
+
+
+def test_run_function_with_timeout() -> None:
+    # run without any problem
+    utils.run_function_with_timeout(
+        2,
+        "timeout message",
+        sleep_function,
+        (
+            1,
+            1,
+        ),
+    )
+    # run with timeout error
+    with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
+        utils.run_function_with_timeout(1, "timeout message", sleep_function, (2, 1))
+    # run with a raise
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        utils.run_function_with_timeout(
+            2,
+            "timeout message",
+            sleep_function,
+            (
+                1,
+                1,
+            ),
+            {"raises": True},
+        )
diff --git a/tests/test_90_entry_points.py b/tests/test_90_entry_points.py
index a312a0c..0dcc19e 100644
--- a/tests/test_90_entry_points.py
+++ b/tests/test_90_entry_points.py
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ def test_update_catalogue(
     _store_file = mocker.patch(
         "cads_catalogue.object_storage.store_file", return_value="an url"
     )
+    mocker.patch("cads_catalogue.object_storage.test_connection")
     folder_commit_hashes = (
         "e5658fef07333700272e36a43df0628efacb5f04",
         "5f662d202e4084dd569567bab0957c8a56f79c0f",