diff --git a/CHANGES.txt b/CHANGES.txt
index 5155a1dc..a85bed7f 100644
--- a/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/CHANGES.txt
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@ Changes for crash
 
 Unreleased
 ==========
-
+- Added command-line argument ``--timeout``, to configure network timeout
+  values in seconds. The default connect timeout is five seconds now,
+  the default read timeout is infinite.
 
 2024/01/12 0.30.2
 =================
diff --git a/crate/crash/command.py b/crate/crash/command.py
index 0d6b6662..4de581ba 100644
--- a/crate/crash/command.py
+++ b/crate/crash/command.py
@@ -139,6 +139,10 @@ def _conf_or_default(key, value):
     parser.add_argument('--hosts', type=str, nargs='*',
                         default=_conf_or_default('hosts', ['localhost:4200']),
                         help='connect to HOSTS.', metavar='HOSTS')
+    parser.add_argument('--timeout', type=str, metavar='TIMEOUT',
+                        help='Configure (connect, read) network timeout values different than (5, None) seconds.'
+                             'Obtains either a scalar int or float value used as connect timeout,'
+                             'or a tuple of connect- vs. read-timeout, separated by a comma.', default="5")
     parser.add_argument(
         '--verify-ssl',
         choices=(True, False),
@@ -620,6 +624,23 @@ def save_and_exit():
 
 def _create_shell(crate_hosts, error_trace, output_writer, is_tty, args,
                   timeout=None, password=None):
+
+    # Explicit "timeout" function argument takes precedence.
+    if timeout is not None:
+        if isinstance(timeout, tuple):
+            connect_timeout, read_timeout = timeout[0], timeout[1]
+            timeout = urllib3.Timeout(connect=float(connect_timeout), read=float(read_timeout))
+        else:
+            timeout = urllib3.Timeout(connect=float(timeout), read=None)
+
+    # Probe `--timeout`` command line argument second.
+    elif args.timeout is not None:
+        if "," in args.timeout:
+            connect_timeout, read_timeout = args.timeout.split(",")
+            timeout = urllib3.Timeout(connect=float(connect_timeout), read=float(read_timeout))
+        else:
+            timeout = urllib3.Timeout(connect=float(args.timeout), read=None)
+
     return CrateShell(crate_hosts,
                       error_trace=error_trace,
                       output_writer=output_writer,
diff --git a/docs/run.rst b/docs/run.rst
index 2177cd66..a6c99ba5 100644
--- a/docs/run.rst
+++ b/docs/run.rst
@@ -57,6 +57,17 @@ The ``crash`` executable supports multiple command-line options:
 |                               | command will succeed if at least one         |
 |                               | connection is successful.                    |
 +-------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
+| ``--timeout <TIMEOUT>``       | Configure (connect, read) network timeout    |
+|                               | values, in seconds.                          |
+|                               |                                              |
+|                               | Use a single value to configure the connect  |
+|                               | timeout, or use a tuple separated by comma   |
+|                               | to configure both connect- and read-timeout. |
+|                               |                                              |
+|                               | The default configuration is (5, None),      |
+|                               | configuring a connect timeout of five        |
+|                               | seconds with infinite read timeout.          |
++-------------------------------+----------------------------------------------+
 | ``--history <FILENAME>``      | Use ``<FILENAME>`` as a history file.        |
 |                               |                                              |
 |                               | Defaults to the ``crash_history`` file in    |