diff --git a/gns3server/controller/project.py b/gns3server/controller/project.py
index 7d4a7cd37..4a287a57b 100644
--- a/gns3server/controller/project.py
+++ b/gns3server/controller/project.py
@@ -1022,6 +1022,16 @@ class Project:
 
     async def delete(self):
 
+        # Check compute connectivity before open() to avoid 120s timeout
+        # when remote computes are unreachable
+        disconnected = self._get_disconnected_computes()
+        if disconnected:
+            compute_names = ", ".join([f"'{c.name}'" for c in disconnected])
+            raise ControllerForbiddenError(
+                f"Cannot delete project '{self.name}': {len(disconnected)} compute(s) are disconnected: {compute_names}. "
+                f"Please fix the connection or delete the project manually on those computes."
+            )
+
         if self._status != "opened":
             try:
                 await self.open()
@@ -1029,28 +1039,6 @@ class Project:
                 # ignore missing images or other conflicts when deleting a project
                 log.warning(f"Conflict while deleting project: {e}")
 
-        # Check if all computes used by this project are connected before deletion
-        # We need to check from the topology file because _project_created_on_compute
-        # gets reset during open()
-        disconnected_computes = []
-        for compute_id in self._computes:
-            try:
-                compute = self._controller.get_compute(compute_id)
-                if not compute.connected:
-                    disconnected_computes.append(compute)
-            except ControllerError:
-                # Compute doesn't exist anymore, consider it disconnected
-                log.warning(f"Compute '{compute_id}' not found in controller")
-                # We can't add it to disconnected_computes without the compute object
-                pass
-
-        if disconnected_computes:
-            compute_names = ", ".join([f"'{c.name}'" for c in disconnected_computes])
-            raise ControllerForbiddenError(
-                f"Cannot delete project '{self.name}': {len(disconnected_computes)} compute(s) are disconnected: {compute_names}. "
-                f"Please fix the connection or delete the project manually on those computes."
-            )
-
         await self.delete_on_computes()
         await self.close()
 
@@ -1068,6 +1056,42 @@ class Project:
             raise ControllerError(f"Cannot delete project directory {self.path}: {str(e)}")
         self.emit_controller_notification("project.deleted", self.asdict())
 
+    def _get_disconnected_computes(self):
+        """
+        Check compute connectivity by reading the topology file directly,
+        without opening the project (which would try to connect to computes).
+        Returns a list of disconnected Compute objects.
+        """
+        if self._status == "opened":
+            # Project is already open, use the already-loaded _computes list
+            compute_ids = self._computes
+        else:
+            # Read compute IDs from topology file without connecting
+            path = self._topology_file()
+            if not os.path.exists(path):
+                return []
+            try:
+                project_data = load_topology(path)
+            except (ValueError, OSError) as e:
+                log.warning(f"Could not read topology file for project '{self._name}': {e}")
+                return []
+            topology = project_data.get("topology", {})
+            compute_ids = set()
+            for node in topology.get("nodes", []):
+                compute_id = node.get("compute_id")
+                if compute_id:
+                    compute_ids.add(compute_id)
+
+        disconnected = []
+        for compute_id in compute_ids:
+            try:
+                compute = self._controller.get_compute(compute_id)
+                if not compute.connected:
+                    disconnected.append(compute)
+            except ControllerError:
+                log.warning(f"Compute '{compute_id}' not found in controller")
+        return disconnected
+
     async def delete_on_computes(self):
         """
         Delete the project on computes but not on controller