diff --git a/doc.zih.tu-dresden.de/docs/data_lifecycle/workspaces.md b/doc.zih.tu-dresden.de/docs/data_lifecycle/workspaces.md
index ad6e3cdda348ad7a11d50f7176222e3ea77929ea..da470eda5178c27776ab91f9f0d0aa5eee98a98e 100644
--- a/doc.zih.tu-dresden.de/docs/data_lifecycle/workspaces.md
+++ b/doc.zih.tu-dresden.de/docs/data_lifecycle/workspaces.md
@@ -419,8 +419,25 @@ workspaces within in the directory `DIR`. Calling this command will do the follo
     - Create links to all available workspaces if not already present.
     - Remove links to released workspaces.
 
-**Remark**: An automatic update of the workspace links can be invoked by putting the command
-`ws_register DIR` in your personal `shell` configuration file (e.g., `.bashrc`).
+!!! hint "Automatic update of links"
+
+    An automatic update of the workspace links can be invoked by putting the command
+    `ws_register DIR` in your personal `shell` configuration file (e.g., `.bashrc`).
+
+    When the filesystems are slow or even down, the command `ws_register` in your `.bashrc` can hang
+    preventing you from logging in to ZIH systems.
+    In order to make it failsafe, we recommend using `ws_register` in combination with a timeout.
+
+    ```bash
+    ANSRED=$'\e[41;1m'
+    ANSRESET=$'\e[0m'
+    buf="$(timeout 10s ws_register $HOME/workspaces)"
+    if test $? -eq 0; then
+        echo "${buf}"
+    else
+        echo "${ANSRED} ws_register: timeout after 10 seconds.${ANSRESET}\n"
+    fi
+    ```
 
 ## How to use Workspaces