diff --git a/document-parser/infra/settings.py b/document-parser/infra/settings.py
index 496e032..d8f1e48 100644
--- a/document-parser/infra/settings.py
+++ b/document-parser/infra/settings.py
@@ -46,6 +46,18 @@ class Settings:
             errors.append(
                 f"default_table_mode must be 'accurate' or 'fast' (got '{self.default_table_mode}')"
             )
+        # Timeout cascade: document_timeout < lock_timeout < conversion_timeout
+        if self.document_timeout > 0 and self.lock_timeout > 0 and self.conversion_timeout > 0:
+            if self.document_timeout >= self.lock_timeout:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"document_timeout ({self.document_timeout}s) must be "
+                    f"< lock_timeout ({self.lock_timeout}s)"
+                )
+            if self.lock_timeout >= self.conversion_timeout:
+                errors.append(
+                    f"lock_timeout ({self.lock_timeout}s) must be "
+                    f"< conversion_timeout ({self.conversion_timeout}s)"
+                )
         if errors:
             raise ValueError("Invalid settings:\n  " + "\n  ".join(errors))
 
diff --git a/document-parser/tests/test_settings.py b/document-parser/tests/test_settings.py
index 9a683fd..604abac 100644
--- a/document-parser/tests/test_settings.py
+++ b/document-parser/tests/test_settings.py
@@ -79,6 +79,22 @@ class TestSettingsValidation:
         with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="default_table_mode must be"):
             Settings(default_table_mode="turbo")
 
+    def test_cascade_document_ge_lock_rejected(self):
+        import pytest
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=r"document_timeout.*< lock_timeout"):
+            Settings(document_timeout=400.0, lock_timeout=300, conversion_timeout=900)
+
+    def test_cascade_lock_ge_conversion_rejected(self):
+        import pytest
+
+        with pytest.raises(ValueError, match=r"lock_timeout.*< conversion_timeout"):
+            Settings(document_timeout=100.0, lock_timeout=900, conversion_timeout=900)
+
+    def test_cascade_valid_ordering_accepted(self):
+        s = Settings(document_timeout=60.0, lock_timeout=300, conversion_timeout=900)
+        assert s.document_timeout < s.lock_timeout < s.conversion_timeout
+
     def test_multiple_errors_reported(self):
         import pytest
 
@@ -94,8 +110,9 @@ class TestSettingsFromEnv:
         monkeypatch.setenv("DEPLOYMENT_MODE", "huggingface")
         monkeypatch.setenv("DOCLING_SERVE_URL", "http://serve:9000")
         monkeypatch.setenv("DOCLING_SERVE_API_KEY", "secret-key")
-        monkeypatch.setenv("CONVERSION_TIMEOUT", "120")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("CONVERSION_TIMEOUT", "1200")
         monkeypatch.setenv("DOCUMENT_TIMEOUT", "60.0")
+        monkeypatch.setenv("LOCK_TIMEOUT", "600")
         monkeypatch.setenv("MAX_PAGE_COUNT", "20")
         monkeypatch.setenv("UPLOAD_DIR", "/data/uploads")
         monkeypatch.setenv("DB_PATH", "/data/test.db")
@@ -108,7 +125,8 @@ class TestSettingsFromEnv:
         assert s.deployment_mode == "huggingface"
         assert s.docling_serve_url == "http://serve:9000"
         assert s.docling_serve_api_key == "secret-key"
-        assert s.conversion_timeout == 120
+        assert s.conversion_timeout == 1200
+        assert s.lock_timeout == 600
         assert s.document_timeout == 60.0
         assert s.max_page_count == 20
         assert s.upload_dir == "/data/uploads"