diff --git a/src/geo_assistant/api/app.py b/src/geo_assistant/api/app.py
index 0495886..98f1e04 100644
--- a/src/geo_assistant/api/app.py
+++ b/src/geo_assistant/api/app.py
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ async def stream_chat(
             payload = update[agent]
             if "place" not in payload:  # TODO: why is this needed?
                 payload["place"] = None
+            if "search_area" not in payload:  # TODO: why is this needed?
+                payload["search_area"] = None
             state_payload = GeoAssistantState(**payload)
 
             resp = ChatResponse(thread_id=str(thread_id), state=state_payload)
diff --git a/src/geo_assistant/frontend/app.py b/src/geo_assistant/frontend/app.py
index 2ab5c29..2566dd0 100644
--- a/src/geo_assistant/frontend/app.py
+++ b/src/geo_assistant/frontend/app.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def stream_chat(user_message: str):
         "agent_state_input": {
             "messages": [{"type": "human", "content": user_message}],
             "place": None,
+            "search_area": None,
         },
     }
 
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ def stream_chat(user_message: str):
         "POST",
         f"{API_BASE_URL}/chat",
         json=request_body,
-        timeout=60.0,
+        timeout=360.0,
     ) as response:
         response.raise_for_status()
 
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index 193ac70..aba692e 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ async def test_hello_world(initialized_app):
                 "agent_state_input": {
                     "messages": [{"content": "Hello, world!", "type": "human"}],
                     "place": None,
+                    "search_area": None,
                 },
                 "thread_id": str(thread_id),
             },