diff --git a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/playground.rs b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/playground.rs
index eedde16074f..4fe091f5646 100644
--- a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/playground.rs
+++ b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/layers/vm_runner/playground.rs
@@ -71,7 +71,13 @@ impl WiringLayer for VmPlaygroundLayer {
         //   to DB for querying last processed batch and last ready to be loaded batch.
         // - `window_size` connections for running VM instances.
         let connection_pool = replica_pool
-            .get_custom(2 + self.config.window_size.get())
+            .build(|builder| {
+                builder
+                    .set_max_size(2 + self.config.window_size.get())
+                    .set_statement_timeout(None);
+                // Unlike virtually all other replica pool uses, VM playground has some long-living operations,
+                // so the default statement timeout would only get in the way.
+            })
             .await?;
 
         let cursor = VmPlaygroundCursorOptions {
diff --git a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/resources/pools.rs b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/resources/pools.rs
index 8355bb1bdd6..75f5d22e357 100644
--- a/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/resources/pools.rs
+++ b/core/node/node_framework/src/implementations/resources/pools.rs
@@ -86,7 +86,20 @@ impl<P: PoolKind> PoolResource<P> {
     }
 
     pub async fn get_custom(&self, size: u32) -> anyhow::Result<ConnectionPool<P::DbMarker>> {
-        let result = self.builder().set_max_size(size).build().await;
+        self.build(|builder| {
+            builder.set_max_size(size);
+        })
+        .await
+    }
+
+    pub async fn build<F>(&self, build_fn: F) -> anyhow::Result<ConnectionPool<P::DbMarker>>
+    where
+        F: FnOnce(&mut ConnectionPoolBuilder<P::DbMarker>),
+    {
+        let mut builder = self.builder();
+        build_fn(&mut builder);
+        let size = builder.max_size();
+        let result = builder.build().await;
 
         if result.is_ok() {
             let old_count = self.connections_count.fetch_add(size, Ordering::Relaxed);