diff --git a/src/daemon.rs b/src/daemon.rs
index 739383a86..457bf4230 100644
--- a/src/daemon.rs
+++ b/src/daemon.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
+use std::env;
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Lines, Write};
 use std::net::{SocketAddr, TcpStream};
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -23,8 +24,17 @@ use crate::util::{HeaderList, DEFAULT_BLOCKHASH};
 
 use crate::errors::*;
 
-// Used for the connection, read and write timeouts
-const DAEMON_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(10);
+lazy_static! {
+    static ref DAEMON_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(
+        env::var("DAEMON_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT").map_or(10, |s| s.parse().unwrap())
+    );
+    static ref DAEMON_READ_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(
+        env::var("DAEMON_READ_TIMEOUT").map_or(10 * 60, |s| s.parse().unwrap())
+    );
+    static ref DAEMON_WRITE_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(
+        env::var("DAEMON_WRITE_TIMEOUT").map_or(10 * 60, |s| s.parse().unwrap())
+    );
+}
 
 fn parse_hash<T>(value: &Value) -> Result<T>
 where
@@ -132,15 +142,18 @@ struct Connection {
 
 fn tcp_connect(addr: SocketAddr, signal: &Waiter) -> Result<TcpStream> {
     loop {
-        match TcpStream::connect_timeout(&addr, DAEMON_TIMEOUT) {
+        match TcpStream::connect_timeout(&addr, *DAEMON_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT) {
             Ok(conn) => {
                 // can only fail if DAEMON_TIMEOUT is 0
-                conn.set_read_timeout(Some(DAEMON_TIMEOUT)).unwrap();
-                conn.set_write_timeout(Some(DAEMON_TIMEOUT)).unwrap();
+                conn.set_read_timeout(Some(*DAEMON_READ_TIMEOUT)).unwrap();
+                conn.set_write_timeout(Some(*DAEMON_WRITE_TIMEOUT)).unwrap();
                 return Ok(conn);
             }
             Err(err) => {
-                warn!("failed to connect daemon at {}: {}", addr, err);
+                warn!(
+                    "failed to connect daemon at {}: {} (backoff 3 seconds)",
+                    addr, err
+                );
                 signal.wait(Duration::from_secs(3), false)?;
                 continue;
             }