diff --git a/backend/apps/ifc_validation/tasks.py b/backend/apps/ifc_validation/tasks.py
index 393afb4..341fed0 100644
--- a/backend/apps/ifc_validation/tasks.py
+++ b/backend/apps/ifc_validation/tasks.py
@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
+from dataclasses import dataclass
 import os
 import sys
 import datetime
 import subprocess
 import functools
 import json
+import time
+import psutil
 import ifcopenshell
 
 from celery import shared_task, chain, chord, group
 from celery.utils.log import get_task_logger
+from celery.exceptions import SoftTimeLimitExceeded
 from django.db import transaction
 
 from core.utils import log_execution
 
-from apps.ifc_validation_models.settings import TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT, MEDIA_ROOT
+from apps.ifc_validation_models.settings import MEDIA_ROOT
 from apps.ifc_validation_models.decorators import requires_django_user_context
 from apps.ifc_validation_models.models import *
 
@@ -20,6 +24,78 @@
 
 logger = get_task_logger(__name__)
 
+def terminate_subprocesses():
+    """Helper function to terminate all subprocesses of the current process."""
+    parent = psutil.Process()
+    children = parent.children(recursive=True)
+    logger.debug(f"found child pids: {' '.join(map(str, (c.pid for c in children)))}")
+
+    for child in children:
+        try:
+            child.terminate()
+            logger.debug(f"terminated {child.pid}")
+        except psutil.NoSuchProcess:
+            logger.debug(f"no such process {child.pid}")
+            pass
+
+    _, alive = psutil.wait_procs(children, timeout=10)
+    logger.debug(f"processes still alive: {' '.join(map(str, (c.pid for c in alive)))}")
+    for child in alive:
+        try:
+            child.kill()
+            logger.debug(f"killed {child.pid}")
+        except psutil.NoSuchProcess:
+            logger.debug(f"no such process {child.pid}")
+            pass
+
+
+def kill_subprocesses_on_timeout(task_func):
+    """Decorator to catch celery's soft time out limit and generically terminate all subprocesses"""
+    @functools.wraps(task_func)
+    def wrapper(*args, **kwargs):
+        try:
+            return task_func(*args, **kwargs)
+        except SoftTimeLimitExceeded:
+            terminate_subprocesses()
+            raise
+    return wrapper
+
+
+@dataclass
+class proc_output:
+    returncode : int
+    stdout : str
+    stderr : str
+
+
+def run_subprocess_wait(*args, check=False, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Equivalent of subprocess.run() but with a loop to keep in
+    user code and terminating the process when catching the
+    soft timeout exception in celery.
+    """
+    process = subprocess.Popen(*args, **kwargs)
+
+    try:
+        while True:
+            retcode = process.poll()
+            if retcode is not None:
+                break
+            time.sleep(0.1)
+
+    except BaseException as e:
+        print("Interrupt received, terminating process...")
+        process.terminate()
+        process.wait()
+        print("Process terminated.")
+        raise e
+
+    if check and retcode != 0:
+        raise subprocess.CalledProcessError(retcode, args[0])
+
+    stdout, stderr = process.communicate()
+    return proc_output(retcode, stdout, stderr)
+
 
 @functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1024)
 def get_absolute_file_path(file_name):
@@ -242,6 +318,7 @@ def instance_completion_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwarg
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def syntax_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -266,12 +343,11 @@ def syntax_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs)
 
         # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
         task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
-        proc = subprocess.run(
+        proc = run_subprocess_wait(
             check_program,
             stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
             stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
             universal_newlines=True,
-            timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT
         )
 
         # parse output
@@ -358,7 +434,7 @@ def parse_info_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
             code = "import ifcopenshell; ifcopenshell.open('" + file_path + "')"
             check_program = [sys.executable, '-c', code, file_path]
             logger.debug(f'Command for {self.__qualname__}: {" ".join(check_program)}')
-            subprocess.run(check_program, check=True)
+            run_subprocess_wait(check_program, check=True)
 
         except subprocess.CalledProcessError as err:
 
@@ -516,6 +592,7 @@ def parse_info_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def prerequisites_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -543,12 +620,11 @@ def prerequisites_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
         # check Gherkin IP
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT,
                 env=os.environ.copy()
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
@@ -600,6 +676,7 @@ def prerequisites_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def schema_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -627,12 +704,11 @@ def schema_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs)
         # check schema
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
         except subprocess.TimeoutExpired as err:
@@ -735,6 +811,7 @@ def is_schema_error(line):
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def bsdd_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -762,12 +839,11 @@ def bsdd_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
         # check bSDD
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT,
                 env=os.environ.copy()
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
@@ -839,6 +915,7 @@ def bsdd_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def normative_rules_ia_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -866,12 +943,11 @@ def normative_rules_ia_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *arg
         # check Gherkin IA
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT,
                 env=os.environ.copy()
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
@@ -917,6 +993,7 @@ def normative_rules_ia_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *arg
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def normative_rules_ip_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -944,12 +1021,11 @@ def normative_rules_ip_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *arg
         # check Gherkin IP
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...
 
@@ -993,6 +1069,7 @@ def normative_rules_ip_validation_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *arg
 @shared_task(bind=True)
 @log_execution
 @requires_django_user_context
+@kill_subprocesses_on_timeout
 def industry_practices_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs):
 
     # fetch request info
@@ -1020,12 +1097,11 @@ def industry_practices_subtask(self, prev_result, id, file_name, *args, **kwargs
         # check Gherkin IP
         try:
             # note: use run instead of Popen b/c PIPE output can be very big...
-            proc = subprocess.run(
+            proc = run_subprocess_wait(
                 check_program,
                 stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
                 stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
                 universal_newlines=True,
-                timeout=TASK_TIMEOUT_LIMIT
             )
             task.set_process_details(None, check_program)  # run() has no pid...