diff --git a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/construct-hub.test.ts.snap b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/construct-hub.test.ts.snap
index 2dd5303ba..8667fe9e3 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/construct-hub.test.ts.snap
+++ b/src/__tests__/__snapshots__/construct-hub.test.ts.snap
@@ -11682,6 +11682,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
@@ -26968,6 +26969,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
@@ -41818,6 +41820,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
@@ -56812,6 +56815,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
@@ -71815,6 +71819,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
diff --git a/src/__tests__/devapp/__snapshots__/snapshot.test.ts.snap b/src/__tests__/devapp/__snapshots__/snapshot.test.ts.snap
index 930aad7ae..bed94ad3e 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/devapp/__snapshots__/snapshot.test.ts.snap
+++ b/src/__tests__/devapp/__snapshots__/snapshot.test.ts.snap
@@ -12951,6 +12951,7 @@ Runbook: https://github.com/cdklabs/construct-hub/blob/main/docs/operator-runboo
       "Properties": {
         "KmsMasterKeyId": "alias/aws/sqs",
         "MessageRetentionPeriod": 1209600,
+        "VisibilityTimeout": 1800,
       },
       "Type": "AWS::SQS::Queue",
       "UpdateReplacePolicy": "Delete",
diff --git a/src/__tests__/package-sources/npmjs.test.ts b/src/__tests__/package-sources/npmjs.test.ts
index c6d948b01..49f6a0aea 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/package-sources/npmjs.test.ts
+++ b/src/__tests__/package-sources/npmjs.test.ts
@@ -204,6 +204,34 @@ test('retries laggy packuments through a queue that moves give-ups to a dead-let
   });
 });
 
+test('every queue the packument processor reads hides messages for longer than the function runs', () => {
+  const template = synth(new NpmJs());
+
+  const [processorId, processor] = Object.entries(
+    template.findResources('AWS::Lambda::Function', {
+      Properties: {
+        Description: Match.stringLikeRegexp(
+          'Processes packages from the npm registry'
+        ),
+      },
+    })
+  )[0] as [string, any];
+  const queues = template.findResources('AWS::SQS::Queue');
+  const mappings = Object.values(
+    template.findResources('AWS::Lambda::EventSourceMapping', {
+      Properties: { FunctionName: { Ref: processorId } },
+    })
+  ) as any[];
+
+  expect(mappings).toHaveLength(2);
+  for (const mapping of mappings) {
+    const queueId = mapping.Properties.EventSourceArn['Fn::GetAtt'][0];
+    // Unset means the SQS default of 30 seconds.
+    const visibility = queues[queueId].Properties.VisibilityTimeout ?? 30;
+    expect(visibility).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(processor.Properties.Timeout);
+  }
+});
+
 test('the billing mode of the known versions table is configurable', () => {
   const template = synth(
     new NpmJs({
diff --git a/src/package-sources/npmjs/packument-queue-processor.ts b/src/package-sources/npmjs/packument-queue-processor.ts
index def1da211..52b21d604 100644
--- a/src/package-sources/npmjs/packument-queue-processor.ts
+++ b/src/package-sources/npmjs/packument-queue-processor.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,17 @@ import { PackumentProcessor } from './packument-processor';
 import { IDenyList } from '../../backend/deny-list/api';
 import { ILicenseList } from '../../backend/license-list/api';
 
+/** The timeout of the packument processor function. */
+const FUNCTION_TIMEOUT = Duration.minutes(5);
+
+/**
+ * The visibility timeout of both queues, which the function reads. Lambda
+ * requires at least the function timeout; AWS recommends 6x.
+ */
+const QUEUE_VISIBILITY_TIMEOUT = Duration.minutes(
+  6 * FUNCTION_TIMEOUT.toMinutes()
+);
+
 export interface PackumentQueueProcessorProps {
   /** The table recording the package versions that were processed. */
   readonly knownVersions: ITableV2;
@@ -54,13 +65,14 @@ export class PackumentQueueProcessor extends Construct {
     this.deadLetterQueue = new Queue(this, 'DLQ', {
       encryption: QueueEncryption.KMS_MANAGED,
       retentionPeriod: Duration.days(14),
+      visibilityTimeout: QUEUE_VISIBILITY_TIMEOUT,
     });
     this.queue = new Queue(this, 'Queue', {
       encryption: QueueEncryption.KMS_MANAGED,
       retentionPeriod: Duration.days(14),
       // Only used when the processor cannot schedule the next attempt itself,
-      // for example on a timeout. AWS recommends 6x the function timeout.
-      visibilityTimeout: Duration.minutes(30),
+      // for example on a timeout.
+      visibilityTimeout: QUEUE_VISIBILITY_TIMEOUT,
       deadLetterQueue: {
         queue: this.deadLetterQueue,
         maxReceiveCount: PACKUMENT_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
@@ -77,7 +89,7 @@ export class PackumentQueueProcessor extends Construct {
         [ENV_PACKUMENT_DEAD_LETTER_QUEUE_ARN]: this.deadLetterQueue.queueArn,
       },
       memorySize: 2_048,
-      timeout: Duration.minutes(5),
+      timeout: FUNCTION_TIMEOUT,
       tracing: Tracing.ACTIVE,
     });
     this.function.addEventSource(