diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/client_session.go b/pkg/dmsg/client_session.go
index 3a4f2eda..bfe8f24d 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/client_session.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/client_session.go
@@ -61,8 +61,12 @@ func (cs *ClientSession) DialStream(dst Addr) (dStr *Stream, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Clear deadline.
-	if err = dStr.SetDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
+	// Set idle timeout — refreshed on each successful read.
+	if err = dStr.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(StreamIdleTimeout)); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// Clear the write deadline so writes are not affected.
+	if err = dStr.SetWriteDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -169,8 +173,12 @@ func (cs *ClientSession) acceptStream() (dStr *Stream, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	// Clear deadline.
-	if err = dStr.SetDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
+	// Set idle timeout — refreshed on each successful read.
+	if err = dStr.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(StreamIdleTimeout)); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	// Clear the write deadline so writes are not affected.
+	if err = dStr.SetWriteDeadline(time.Time{}); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/stream.go b/pkg/dmsg/stream.go
index d6a2927a..bb70240b 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/stream.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/stream.go
@@ -325,9 +325,17 @@ func (s *Stream) StreamID() uint32 {
 	return s.yStr.StreamID()
 }
 
-// Read implements io.Reader
+// Read implements io.Reader.
+// It refreshes the idle timeout on each successful read so that active
+// streams are never killed, while stale streams stuck in waitRead with
+// no incoming data will time out and release their ephemeral port.
 func (s *Stream) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	return s.nsConn.Read(b)
+	n, err := s.nsConn.Read(b)
+	if n > 0 {
+		// Reset the read deadline on successful read to keep the stream alive.
+		s.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(StreamIdleTimeout)) //nolint:errcheck,gosec
+	}
+	return n, err
 }
 
 // Write implements io.Writer
diff --git a/pkg/dmsg/types.go b/pkg/dmsg/types.go
index d3839c8a..f57a9337 100644
--- a/pkg/dmsg/types.go
+++ b/pkg/dmsg/types.go
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ var (
 	// HandshakeTimeout defines the duration a stream handshake should take.
 	HandshakeTimeout = time.Second * 20
 
+	// StreamIdleTimeout defines how long a stream can be idle (no reads)
+	// before it is considered stale and closed. This prevents streams stuck
+	// in waitRead from holding ephemeral ports indefinitely.
+	StreamIdleTimeout = 2 * time.Minute
+
 	// AcceptBufferSize defines the size of the accepts buffer.
 	AcceptBufferSize = 20
 )