diff --git a/adapters/couchdb_adapter.go b/adapters/couchdb_adapter.go
index 10d8880..2efa993 100644
--- a/adapters/couchdb_adapter.go
+++ b/adapters/couchdb_adapter.go
@@ -93,7 +93,13 @@ func (adapter couchdbAdapter) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 func GetCouchdbConnection(ctx context.Context, url string) (*couchdbAdapter, error) {
 	client, err := kivik.New("couch", url)
 	if err != nil {
-		panic(err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	// do some call to test if connection is working
+	_, err = client.ClusterStatus(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	adapter := couchdbAdapter{
diff --git a/adapters/mongo_adapter.go b/adapters/mongo_adapter.go
index 1b85357..87b97a0 100644
--- a/adapters/mongo_adapter.go
+++ b/adapters/mongo_adapter.go
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ func (adapter mongoAdapter) Close(ctx context.Context) error {
 func GetMongoConnection(ctx context.Context, url string) (*mongoAdapter, error) {
 	clientOpts := options.Client().ApplyURI(url)
 	client, err := mongo.Connect(ctx, clientOpts)
-
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/controllers/database_controller.go b/controllers/database_controller.go
index 753b832..da4ce98 100644
--- a/controllers/database_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/database_controller.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package controllers
 import (
 	"context"
 	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/go-logr/logr"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
@@ -53,7 +54,11 @@ func (r *DatabaseReconciler) Reconcile(ctx context.Context, req ctrl.Request) (c
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err
 	}
 
-	db, err := r.getDatabaseConnection(ctx, database.Spec.Type)
+	// use maximum of 3 seconds to connect
+	openCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, time.Duration(time.Second*3))
+	defer cancel()
+
+	db, err := r.getDatabaseConnection(openCtx, database.Spec.Type)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Error(err, "Failed to detect or open database connection")
 		return ctrl.Result{}, err