diff --git a/lib/jsonrpc.js b/lib/jsonrpc.js
index 9d40b0c..1573b6d 100644
--- a/lib/jsonrpc.js
+++ b/lib/jsonrpc.js
@@ -54,13 +54,41 @@ Client.prototype.call = function(method, params, callback, errback, path) {
   if (this.opts.user && this.opts.pass) {
     requestOptions.auth = this.opts.user + ':' + this.opts.pass;
   }
-    
+  
   // Now we'll make a request to the server
+  var cbCalled = false;
   var request = this.http.request(requestOptions);
+  
+  // start request timeout timer
+  var reqTimeout = setTimeout(function() {
+    if (cbCalled) return;
+    cbCalled = true;
+    request.abort();
+    var err = new Error('ETIMEDOUT');
+    err.code = 'ETIMEDOUT';
+    errback(err);
+  }, this.opts.timeout || 5000);
+  
+  // set additional timeout on socket in case of remote freeze after sending headers
+  request.setTimeout(this.opts.timeout || 5000, function() {
+    if (cbCalled) return;
+    cbCalled = true;
+    request.abort();
+    var err = new Error('ESOCKETTIMEDOUT')
+    err.code = 'ESOCKETTIMEDOUT'
+    errback(err);
+  });
     
-  request.on('error', errback);
+  request.on('error', function(err) {
+    if (cbCalled) return;
+    cbCalled = true;
+    clearTimeout(reqTimeout);
+    errback(err);
+  });
 
   request.on('response', function(response) {
+    clearTimeout(reqTimeout);
+    
     // We need to buffer the response chunks in a nonblocking way.
     var buffer = '';
     response.on('data', function(chunk) {
@@ -72,6 +100,9 @@ Client.prototype.call = function(method, params, callback, errback, path) {
     response.on('end', function() {
       var err;
       
+      if (cbCalled) return;
+      cbCalled = true;
+      
       try {
         var decoded = JSON.parse(buffer);
       } catch (e) {
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index cc06400..0eb40d3 100644
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 var assert = require('assert'),
     clone = require('clone'),
+    http = require('http'),
     bitcoin = require('../'),
     config = require('./config');
 
@@ -16,6 +17,12 @@ var notEmpty = function notEmpty(data) {
   assert.ok(data);
 };
 
+var makeServer = function(port) {
+  var server = http.createServer();
+  server.listen(port);
+  return server;
+};
+
 describe('Client', function() {
   
   describe('getAccountAddress()', function() {
@@ -209,4 +216,62 @@ describe('Client', function() {
     });
   });
   
+  describe('request timeouts', function() {
+    it('should occur by default after 5000ms', function(done) {
+      this.timeout(7500);
+      var server = makeServer(19998);
+      var request;
+      var response;
+      server.on('request', function(req, res) {
+        request = req;
+        response = res;
+      });
+      var client = new bitcoin.Client({
+        host: 'localhost',
+        port: 19998,
+        user: 'admin1',
+        pass: '123'
+      });
+      var start = Date.now();
+      client.getInfo(function(err, info) {
+        var delta = Date.now() - start;
+        assert.ok(err instanceof Error);
+        assert.ok(err.code === 'ETIMEDOUT' || err.code === 'ESOCKETTIMEDOUT');
+        assert.ok(delta >= 5000, 'delta should be >= 5000: ' + delta);
+        response.end();
+        server.close();
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+  
+    it('should be customizable', function(done) {
+      this.timeout(4500);
+      var server = makeServer(19999);
+      var request;
+      var response;
+      server.on('request', function(req, res) {
+        request = req;
+        response = res;
+      });
+      var client = new bitcoin.Client({
+        host: 'localhost',
+        port: 19999,
+        user: 'admin1',
+        pass: '123',
+        timeout: 2500
+      });
+      var start = Date.now();
+      client.getInfo(function(err, info) {
+        var delta = Date.now() - start;
+        assert.ok(err instanceof Error);
+        assert.ok(err.code === 'ETIMEDOUT' || err.code === 'ESOCKETTIMEDOUT');
+        assert.ok(delta >= 2500, 'delta should be >= 2500:' + delta);
+        response.end();
+        server.close();
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+    
+  });
+  
 });