diff --git a/walletdb/db_test.go b/walletdb/db_test.go
index 30c4341..9e8760a 100644
--- a/walletdb/db_test.go
+++ b/walletdb/db_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/btcsuite/btcwallet/walletdb"
 	_ "github.com/btcsuite/btcwallet/walletdb/bdb"
@@ -21,6 +22,10 @@ var (
 	// bogus drivers for testing purposes while still allowing other tests
 	// to easily iterate all supported drivers.
 	ignoreDbTypes = map[string]bool{"createopenfail": true}
+
+	// defaultDBTimeout specifies the timeout value when opening the wallet
+	// database.
+	defaultDBTimeout = 10 * time.Second
 )
 
 // TestAddDuplicateDriver ensures that adding a duplicate driver does not
@@ -64,7 +69,7 @@ func TestAddDuplicateDriver(t *testing.T) {
 	defer os.Remove(tempDir)
 
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(tempDir, "db")
-	db, err := walletdb.Create(dbType, dbPath, true)
+	db, err := walletdb.Create(dbType, dbPath, true, defaultDBTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Errorf("failed to create database: %v", err)
 		return
diff --git a/walletdb/example_test.go b/walletdb/example_test.go
index 4cb5134..c9640ab 100644
--- a/walletdb/example_test.go
+++ b/walletdb/example_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func ExampleCreate() {
 	// this, but it's done here in the example to ensure the example cleans
 	// up after itself.
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "examplecreate.db")
-	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true)
+	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true, defaultDBTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
 		return
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ var exampleNum = 0
 func exampleLoadDB() (walletdb.DB, func(), error) {
 	dbName := fmt.Sprintf("exampleload%d.db", exampleNum)
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), dbName)
-	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true)
+	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true, defaultDBTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func Example_basicUsage() {
 	// this, but it's done here in the example to ensure the example cleans
 	// up after itself.
 	dbPath := filepath.Join(os.TempDir(), "exampleusage.db")
-	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true)
+	db, err := walletdb.Create("bdb", dbPath, true, defaultDBTimeout)
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println(err)
 		return