diff --git a/can/interfaces/cantact.py b/can/interfaces/cantact.py
index ee01fbf94..26b4102c0 100644
--- a/can/interfaces/cantact.py
+++ b/can/interfaces/cantact.py
@@ -125,9 +125,7 @@ def __init__(
 
     def _recv_internal(self, timeout: float | None) -> tuple[Message | None, bool]:
         if timeout is None:
-            raise TypeError(
-                f"{self.__class__.__name__} expects a numeric `timeout` value."
-            )
+            timeout = 2**64 - 1
 
         with error_check("Cannot receive message"):
             frame = self.interface.recv(int(timeout * 1000))
diff --git a/doc/changelog.d/2026.changed.md b/doc/changelog.d/2026.changed.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2a9c12fa1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/changelog.d/2026.changed.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* cantact: handle None timeouts as 'forever' (with 0xFFF....)