diff --git a/packages/pg-query-stream/test/error.ts b/packages/pg-query-stream/test/error.ts
index 8ddb4da7d..5f7a78565 100644
--- a/packages/pg-query-stream/test/error.ts
+++ b/packages/pg-query-stream/test/error.ts
@@ -170,4 +170,24 @@ describe('error recovery', () => {
     conn.release()
     await pool.end()
   })
+
+  it('does not crash when query_timeout fires without callback', async () => {
+    const client = new Client({ query_timeout: 50 })
+    await client.connect()
+
+    const stream = new QueryStream('SELECT pg_sleep(10)')
+
+    // cursor.on('error') fires synchronously when handleError is called
+    // stream.on('error') fires asynchronously via destroy()
+    // Use cursor for immediate error detection
+    const errorPromise = new Promise<Error>((resolve) => {
+      stream.cursor.on('error', resolve)
+    })
+
+    client.query(stream)
+
+    const error = await errorPromise
+    assert.equal(error.message, 'Query read timeout')
+    await client.end()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/packages/pg/lib/client.js b/packages/pg/lib/client.js
index df430f881..2534f9ca7 100644
--- a/packages/pg/lib/client.js
+++ b/packages/pg/lib/client.js
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     }
 
     if (readTimeout) {
-      queryCallback = query.callback
+      queryCallback = query.callback || (() => {})
 
       readTimeoutTimer = setTimeout(() => {
         const error = new Error('Query read timeout')
diff --git a/packages/pg/lib/native/client.js b/packages/pg/lib/native/client.js
index 4bee7ce3c..667bf613d 100644
--- a/packages/pg/lib/native/client.js
+++ b/packages/pg/lib/native/client.js
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ Client.prototype.query = function (config, values, callback) {
   }
 
   if (readTimeout) {
-    queryCallback = query.callback
+    queryCallback = query.callback || (() => {})
 
     readTimeoutTimer = setTimeout(() => {
       const error = new Error('Query read timeout')
diff --git a/packages/pg/test/unit/client/query-timeout-tests.js b/packages/pg/test/unit/client/query-timeout-tests.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dbf20cf1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pg/test/unit/client/query-timeout-tests.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+'use strict'
+
+const helper = require('./test-helper')
+const Query = require('../../../lib/query')
+const assert = require('assert')
+const suite = new helper.Suite()
+const test = suite.test.bind(suite)
+
+test('query timeout with Submittable without callback delivers error via handleError', function (done) {
+  const client = helper.client()
+  client.connectionParameters = { query_timeout: 10 }
+
+  const query = new Query({ text: 'SELECT 1' })
+  query.handleError = (err) => {
+    assert.equal(err.message, 'Query read timeout')
+    done()
+  }
+
+  client.connection.emit('readyForQuery')
+  client.query(query)
+})
+
+test('query timeout with Submittable with callback delivers error via callback', function (done) {
+  const client = helper.client()
+  client.connectionParameters = { query_timeout: 10 }
+
+  const query = new Query({ text: 'SELECT 1' })
+  client.connection.emit('readyForQuery')
+
+  client.query(query, (err) => {
+    assert.equal(err.message, 'Query read timeout')
+    done()
+  })
+})