diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 617c49f..c13f9bc 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ If you have a suggestion for a feature currently not supported, feel free to ope
     xforward: true // enables X-Forwarded-For
   },
   changeOrigin: false, // changes the origin of the host header to the target URL
+  timeout: 120000 // override the default 2 minute http socket timeout value in milliseconds
 }
 ```
 
diff --git a/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js b/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
index cc4f9f1..da3ac1d 100644
--- a/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
+++ b/lib/node-http-proxy/http-proxy.js
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ var HttpProxy = exports.HttpProxy = function (options) {
   //
   this.forward  = options.forward;
   this.target   = options.target;
+  this.timeout = options.timeout;
 
   //
   // Setup the necessary instances instance variables for
@@ -163,6 +164,9 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyRequest = function (req, res, buffer) {
       req.headers['x-forwarded-proto'] = getProto(req);
     }
   }
+  if(this.timeout) {
+    req.socket.setTimeout(this.timeout);
+  }
 
   //
   // Emit the `start` event indicating that we have begun the proxy operation.
@@ -350,10 +354,17 @@ HttpProxy.prototype.proxyRequest = function (req, res, buffer) {
   });
 
   //
-  // Handle 'error' events from the `reverseProxy`.
+  // Handle 'error' events from the `reverseProxy`. Setup timeout override if needed
   //
   reverseProxy.once('error', proxyError);
 
+  // Set a timeout on the socket if `this.timeout` is specified.
+  reverseProxy.once('socket', function (socket) {
+    if (self.timeout) {
+      socket.setTimeout(self.timeout);
+    }
+  });
+  
   //
   // Handle 'error' events from the `req` (e.g. `Parse Error`).
   //
@@ -899,4 +910,4 @@ HttpProxy.prototype._forwardRequest = function (req) {
 
 function getProto(req) {
   return req.isSpdy ? 'https' : (req.connection.pair ? 'https' : 'http');
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/test/helpers/http.js b/test/helpers/http.js
index 24749be..aaf7a80 100644
--- a/test/helpers/http.js
+++ b/test/helpers/http.js
@@ -67,9 +67,11 @@ exports.createServer = function (options, callback) {
       });
     }
 
-    res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
-    res.write(options.output || 'hello proxy');
-    res.end();
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      res.writeHead(200, { 'Content-Type': 'text/plain' });
+      res.write(options.output || 'hello proxy'); 
+      res.end(); 
+    }, options.latency || 1);
   }
 
   var server = protocols.target === 'https'
diff --git a/test/http/http-test.js b/test/http/http-test.js
index 363e8c9..b25aa85 100644
--- a/test/http/http-test.js
+++ b/test/http/http-test.js
@@ -76,7 +76,12 @@ vows.describe(helpers.describe()).addBatch({
         outputHeaders: { "x-testheader": "target" },
         latency: 1000
       })
-    }
+    },
+    "and timeout set": macros.http.assertProxied({
+      shouldFail: true,
+      timeout: 2000,
+      requestLatency: 4000
+    })
   },
   "With a no valid target server": {
     "and no latency": macros.http.assertInvalidProxy(),
diff --git a/test/macros/http.js b/test/macros/http.js
index b8cf57b..61c9cd1 100644
--- a/test/macros/http.js
+++ b/test/macros/http.js
@@ -49,6 +49,30 @@ exports.assertRequest = function (options) {
   };
 };
 
+//
+// ### function assertFailedRequest (options)
+// #### @options {Object} Options for this failed request assertion.
+// ####    @request {Object} Options to use for `request`.
+// ####    @assert  {Object} Test assertions against the response.
+//
+// Makes a request using `options.request` and then asserts the response
+// and body against anything in `options.assert`.
+//
+exports.assertFailedRequest = function (options) {
+  return {
+    topic: function () {
+      //
+      // Now make the HTTP request and assert.
+      //
+      options.request.rejectUnauthorized = false;
+      request(options.request, this.callback);
+    },
+    "should not succeed": function (err, res, body) {
+      assert.notStrictEqual(err,null);
+    }
+  };
+};
+
 //
 // ### function assertProxied (options)
 // #### @options {Object} Options for this test
@@ -63,14 +87,17 @@ exports.assertRequest = function (options) {
 exports.assertProxied = function (options) {
   options = options || {};
 
-  var ports       = options.ports   || helpers.nextPortPair,
+  var ports         = options.ports   || helpers.nextPortPair,
       output        = options.output  || 'hello world from ' + ports.target,
       outputHeaders = options.outputHeaders,
       targetHeaders = options.targetHeaders,
       proxyHeaders  = options.proxyHeaders,
       protocol      = helpers.protocols.proxy,
-      req           = options.request || {};
-
+      req           = options.request || {},
+      timeout       = options.timeout || null,
+      assertFn      = options.shouldFail
+        ? exports.assertFailedRequest
+        : exports.assertRequest;
 
   req.uri = req.uri || protocol + '://127.0.0.1:' + ports.proxy;
 
@@ -85,7 +112,8 @@ exports.assertProxied = function (options) {
           output: output,
           outputHeaders: targetHeaders,
           port: ports.target,
-          headers: req.headers
+          headers: req.headers,
+          latency: options.requestLatency
         },
         proxy: {
           latency: options.latency,
@@ -97,12 +125,13 @@ exports.assertProxied = function (options) {
               https: helpers.protocols.target === 'https',
               host: '127.0.0.1',
               port: ports.target
-            }
+            },
+            timeout: timeout
           }
         }
       }, this.callback);
     },
-    "the proxy request": exports.assertRequest({
+    "the proxy request": assertFn({
       request: req,
       assert: {
         headers: outputHeaders,