diff --git a/src/charm.py b/src/charm.py
index b331f499..be1fc9fb 100755
--- a/src/charm.py
+++ b/src/charm.py
@@ -621,6 +621,12 @@ def _current_effective_db_info(self) -> Optional[types_.DatabaseConfig]:
         host, port = self._parse_database_endpoints(
             self.database.fetch_relation_field(relation.id, "endpoints")
         )
+        if host is None:
+            logger.warning(
+                "`endpoints` is missing in database relation data: %s",
+                dict(relation.data[relation.app]),
+            )
+            return None
         return types_.DatabaseConfig(
             hostname=host,
             port=port,
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_charm.py b/tests/unit/test_charm.py
index dda3607d..fd625da4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_charm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_charm.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # pylint:disable=protected-access
 
 import json
+import secrets
 import typing
 import unittest.mock
 
@@ -36,14 +37,14 @@ def test_generate_wp_secret_keys(harness: ops.testing.Harness):
     """
     harness.begin()
     charm: WordpressCharm = typing.cast(WordpressCharm, harness.charm)
-    secrets = charm._generate_wp_secret_keys()
+    wordpress_secrets = charm._generate_wp_secret_keys()
     assert (
-        "default_admin_password" in secrets
+        "default_admin_password" in wordpress_secrets
     ), "WordPress should generate a default admin password"
 
-    del secrets["default_admin_password"]
-    key_values = list(secrets.values())
-    assert set(secrets.keys()) == set(
+    del wordpress_secrets["default_admin_password"]
+    key_values = list(wordpress_secrets.values())
+    assert set(wordpress_secrets.keys()) == set(
         charm._wordpress_secret_key_fields()
     ), "generated WordPress secrets should contain all required fields"
     assert len(key_values) == len(set(key_values)), "no two secret values should be the same"
@@ -883,6 +884,46 @@ def test_wordpress_version_set(harness: ops.testing.Harness):
     assert harness.get_workload_version() == WordpressContainerMock._WORDPRESS_VERSION
 
 
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("attach_storage")
+def test_waiting_for_leader_installation_timeout(
+    patch: WordpressPatch, harness: ops.testing.Harness, app_name
+):
+    """
+    arrange: charm peer and database relation is ready, the storage is attached.
+    act: start the charm as a follower unit.
+    assert: charm unit should enter blocked state, and the installation error should be seen
+        in the status.
+    """
+    replica_relation_id = harness.add_relation("wordpress-replica", app_name)
+    harness.update_relation_data(
+        relation_id=replica_relation_id,
+        app_or_unit=app_name,
+        key_values={k: "test" for k in WordpressCharm._wordpress_secret_key_fields()},
+    )
+    db_relation_id = harness.add_relation("database", "mysql")
+    harness.add_relation_unit(db_relation_id, "mysql/0")
+    test_database_password = secrets.token_urlsafe(8)
+    harness.update_relation_data(
+        relation_id=db_relation_id,
+        app_or_unit="mysql",
+        key_values={
+            "endpoints": "test",
+            "database": "test",
+            "username": "test",
+            "password": test_database_password,
+        },
+    )
+    patch.database.prepare_database(
+        host="test", database="test", user="test", password=test_database_password
+    )
+    harness.begin_with_initial_hooks()
+    assert harness.charm.unit.status.name == "blocked"
+    assert (
+        harness.charm.unit.status.message
+        == "leader unit failed to initialize WordPress database in given time."
+    )
+
+
 def test_valid_proxy_config(
     harness: ops.testing.Harness,
     setup_replica_consensus: typing.Callable[[], dict],