diff --git a/cadence/activity.py b/cadence/activity.py
index b77f0f9..e47d29f 100644
--- a/cadence/activity.py
+++ b/cadence/activity.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def complete_exceptionally(service, task_token, ex: Exception) -> Optional[Excep
     respond: RespondActivityTaskFailedRequest = RespondActivityTaskFailedRequest()
     respond.task_token = task_token
     respond.identity = WorkflowService.get_identity()
-    respond.reason = "ActivityFailureException"
+    respond.reason = type(ex).__name__
     respond.details = serialize_exception(ex)
     _, error = service.respond_activity_task_failed(respond)
     return error
diff --git a/cadence/activity_loop.py b/cadence/activity_loop.py
index 7c6f261..7b8482f 100644
--- a/cadence/activity_loop.py
+++ b/cadence/activity_loop.py
@@ -37,7 +37,15 @@ def activity_task_loop(worker: Worker):
             except StopRequestedException:
                 return
             except Exception as ex:
+                if f'{ex}' == "timeout":
+                    logger.warning(f"LongPoll timeout -- no tasks available to execute -- exception message: {ex}")
+                    continue
                 logger.error("PollForActivityTask error: %s", ex)
+                try:
+                    service.close()
+                except:
+                    logger.warning("service.close() failed", exc_info=1)
+                worker.notify_thread_stopped()
                 raise
             if err:
                 logger.error("PollForActivityTask failed: %s", err)
diff --git a/cadence/connection.py b/cadence/connection.py
index 973e89c..c1256c0 100644
--- a/cadence/connection.py
+++ b/cadence/connection.py
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def create(cls, service: str, method_name: str, thrift_payload: bytes):
         # PollForActivityTask is hardcoded on the server to timeout at
         # 60 seconds, so the ttl needs to be slightly more so that it
         # does not fail.
-        o.ttl = 61000
+        o.ttl = 140000
         return o
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/cadence/decision_loop.py b/cadence/decision_loop.py
index afdf0d5..1b56bb1 100644
--- a/cadence/decision_loop.py
+++ b/cadence/decision_loop.py
@@ -880,9 +880,11 @@ def run(self):
         finally:
         # noinspection PyPep8,PyBroadException
             try:
+                logger.info(f"closing wf service")
                 self.service.close()
             except:
                 logger.warning("service.close() failed", exc_info=1)
+            logger.info(f"notifying worker thread stopped")
             self.worker.notify_thread_stopped()
 
     def poll(self) -> Optional[PollForDecisionTaskResponse]:
@@ -899,11 +901,17 @@ def poll(self) -> Optional[PollForDecisionTaskResponse]:
             polling_end = datetime.datetime.now()
             logger.debug("PollForDecisionTask: %dms", (polling_end - polling_start).total_seconds() * 1000)
         except TChannelException as ex:
+            if f'{ex}' == "timeout":
+                logger.warning("PollForDecisionTask error: %s", ex)
+                logger.warning(f"LongPoll timeout -- no tasks available to execute -- exception message: {ex}")
+                return None
             logger.error("PollForDecisionTask error: %s", ex)
-            return None
+            logger.info(f"raising exception PollForDecisionTask {ex}")
+            raise
         if err:
             logger.error("PollForDecisionTask failed: %s", err)
-            return None
+            raise
+            # return None
         if not task.task_token:
             logger.debug("PollForActivityTask has no task token (expected): %s", task)
             return None
diff --git a/cadence/workerfactory.py b/cadence/workerfactory.py
index 90b0ac8..dd9340d 100644
--- a/cadence/workerfactory.py
+++ b/cadence/workerfactory.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-from dataclasses import dataclass, field
 from typing import List
 
+from dataclasses import dataclass, field
+
 from cadence.worker import Worker, WorkerOptions
 
 
@@ -17,8 +18,9 @@ class WorkerFactory:
     options: WorkerFactoryOptions = None
     workers: List[Worker] = field(default_factory=list)
 
-    def new_worker(self, task_list: str, worker_options: WorkerOptions = None) -> Worker:
-        worker = Worker(host=self.host, port=self.port, domain=self.domain, task_list=task_list, options=worker_options)
+    def new_worker(self, task_list: str, timeout: int = 120, worker_options: WorkerOptions = None) -> Worker:
+        worker = Worker(host=self.host, port=self.port, domain=self.domain, task_list=task_list, timeout=timeout,
+                        options=worker_options)
         self.workers.append(worker)
         return worker