diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-with-edm.yml b/.github/workflows/test-with-edm.yml
index 73731c05a..6f5da199c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-with-edm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-with-edm.yml
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         os: [ubuntu-latest, macos-latest, windows-latest]
         toolkit: ['wx', 'pyqt5', 'pyside2', 'pyside6']
+    timeout-minutes: 20  # should be plenty, it's usually < 5
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     env:
       # Set root directory, mainly for Windows, so that the EDM Python
diff --git a/pyface/ui/qt4/action/action_item.py b/pyface/ui/qt4/action/action_item.py
index 7193accf7..60dcb92f7 100644
--- a/pyface/ui/qt4/action/action_item.py
+++ b/pyface/ui/qt4/action/action_item.py
@@ -376,7 +376,12 @@ def _qt4_on_destroyed(self, control=None):
         """
         if self.control is not None:
             # Remove the cycle since we're no longer needed.
-            if hasattr(self.control, "_tool_instance"):
+            try:
+                has_instance = hasattr(self.control, "_tool_instance")
+            # fixes mayavi #1180: PyQt5 "wrapped C/C++ object ... has been deleted"
+            except RuntimeError:
+                has_instance = False
+            if has_instance:
                 del self.control._tool_instance
         self.control = None