diff --git a/rq/worker.py b/rq/worker.py
index f5a41c17..e838c060 100644
--- a/rq/worker.py
+++ b/rq/worker.py
@@ -421,15 +421,16 @@ class BaseWorker:
         return False
 
     def _set_connection(self, connection: 'Redis') -> 'Redis':
-        """Configures the Redis connection to have a socket timeout.
-        This should timouet the connection in case any specific command hangs at any given time (eg. BLPOP).
-        If the connection provided already has a `socket_timeout` defined, skips.
+        """Configures the Redis connection's socket timeout.
+        This will timeout the connection in case any specific command hangs at any given time (eg. BLPOP), but
+        also ensures that the timeout is long enough for those operations.
+        If the connection provided already has an adequate `socket_timeout` defined, skips.
 
         Args:
             connection (Optional[Redis]): The Redis Connection.
         """
         current_socket_timeout = connection.connection_pool.connection_kwargs.get("socket_timeout")
-        if current_socket_timeout is None:
+        if current_socket_timeout is None or current_socket_timeout < self.connection_timeout:
             timeout_config = {"socket_timeout": self.connection_timeout}
             connection.connection_pool.connection_kwargs.update(timeout_config)
         return connection
diff --git a/tests/test_worker.py b/tests/test_worker.py
index 5c1baeee..c6b59046 100644
--- a/tests/test_worker.py
+++ b/tests/test_worker.py
@@ -694,10 +694,11 @@ class TestWorker(RQTestCase):
         self.assertIsNone(w.dequeue_job_and_maintain_ttl(3, max_idle_time=2))
         self.assertLess((now() - right_now).total_seconds(), 4)  # 4 for some buffer
 
-        # idle for 3 seconds because idle_time is less than two rounds of timeout
-        right_now = now()
         w = Worker([q])
         w.worker_ttl = 2
+        right_now = now()
+
+        # idle for 3 seconds because idle_time is less than two rounds of timeout
         w.work(max_idle_time=3)
         self.assertLess((now() - right_now).total_seconds(), 5)  # 5 for some buffer