diff --git a/server/api/repo.go b/server/api/repo.go
index e29aa3b37..23b060bf1 100644
--- a/server/api/repo.go
+++ b/server/api/repo.go
@@ -31,6 +31,10 @@ import (
 	"github.com/woodpecker-ci/woodpecker/shared/token"
 )
 
+// TODO: make it set system wide via environment variables
+const defaultTimeout = 60 // 1 hour default build time
+const maxTimeout = defaultTimeout * 2
+
 func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 	remote_ := server.Config.Services.Remote
 	store_ := store.FromContext(c)
@@ -38,7 +42,7 @@ func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 	repo := session.Repo(c)
 
 	if repo.IsActive {
-		c.String(409, "Repository is already active.")
+		c.String(http.StatusConflict, "Repository is already active.")
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -54,7 +58,9 @@ func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 	}
 
 	if repo.Timeout == 0 {
-		repo.Timeout = 60 // 1 hour default build time
+		repo.Timeout = defaultTimeout
+	} else if repo.Timeout > maxTimeout {
+		repo.Timeout = maxTimeout
 	}
 
 	if repo.Hash == "" {
@@ -67,7 +73,7 @@ func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 	t := token.New(token.HookToken, repo.FullName)
 	sig, err := t.Sign(repo.Hash)
 	if err != nil {
-		c.String(500, err.Error())
+		c.String(http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -79,7 +85,7 @@ func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 
 	err = remote_.Activate(c, user, repo, link)
 	if err != nil {
-		c.String(500, err.Error())
+		c.String(http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -90,11 +96,11 @@ func PostRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 
 	err = store_.UpdateRepo(repo)
 	if err != nil {
-		c.String(500, err.Error())
+		c.String(http.StatusInternalServerError, err.Error())
 		return
 	}
 
-	c.JSON(200, repo)
+	c.JSON(http.StatusOK, repo)
 }
 
 func PatchRepo(c *gin.Context) {
@@ -108,8 +114,12 @@ func PatchRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if (in.IsTrusted != nil || in.Timeout != nil) && !user.Admin {
-		c.String(403, "Insufficient privileges")
+	if in.Timeout != nil && *in.Timeout > maxTimeout && !user.Admin {
+		c.String(http.StatusForbidden, fmt.Sprintf("Timeout is not allowed to be higher than max timeout (%dmin)", maxTimeout))
+	}
+	if in.IsTrusted != nil && *in.IsTrusted != repo.IsTrusted && !user.Admin {
+		log.Trace().Msgf("user '%s' wants to make repo trusted without being an instance admin ", user.Login)
+		c.String(http.StatusForbidden, "Insufficient privileges")
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -133,7 +143,7 @@ func PatchRepo(c *gin.Context) {
 		case string(model.VisibilityInternal), string(model.VisibilityPrivate), string(model.VisibilityPublic):
 			repo.Visibility = model.RepoVisibly(*in.Visibility)
 		default:
-			c.String(400, "Invalid visibility type")
+			c.String(http.StatusBadRequest, "Invalid visibility type")
 			return
 		}
 	}