diff --git a/include/usage.h b/include/usage.h
index b57644b..d731957 100644
--- a/include/usage.h
+++ b/include/usage.h
@@ -1832,6 +1832,7 @@
 	"\t-l\t\tlisten mode, for inbound connects\n" \
 	"\t-p PORT\t\tlocal port number\n" \
 	"\t-i SECS\t\tdelay interval for lines sent\n" \
+	"\t-w SECS\t\ttimeout for connects and final net reads\n" \
 	"\t-e PROG\t\tprogram to exec after connect (dangerous!)"
 #define nc_example_usage \
 	"$ nc foobar.somedomain.com 25\n" \
diff --git a/networking/nc.c b/networking/nc.c
index 3099763..bbcbc0d 100644
--- a/networking/nc.c
+++ b/networking/nc.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
@@ -42,9 +43,14 @@
 
 #define GAPING_SECURITY_HOLE
 
+static void timeout(int signum)
+{
+	bb_error_msg_and_die("Timed out");
+}
+
 int nc_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	int do_listen = 0, lport = 0, delay = 0, tmpfd, opt, sfd, x;
+	int do_listen = 0, lport = 0, delay = 0, wsecs = 0, tmpfd, opt, sfd, x;
 	char buf[BUFSIZ];
 #ifdef GAPING_SECURITY_HOLE
 	char * pr00gie = NULL;
@@ -55,7 +61,7 @@
 
 	fd_set readfds, testfds;
 
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "lp:i:e:")) > 0) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "lp:i:e:w:")) > 0) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'l':
 				do_listen++;
@@ -71,6 +77,9 @@
 				pr00gie = optarg;
 				break;
 #endif
+			case 'w':
+				wsecs = atoi(optarg);
+				break;
 			default:
 				bb_show_usage();
 		}
@@ -94,6 +103,11 @@
 		bb_perror_msg_and_die ("reuseaddr failed");
 	address.sin_family = AF_INET;
 
+	if (wsecs) {
+		signal(SIGALRM, timeout);
+		alarm(wsecs);
+	}
+
 	if (lport != 0) {
 		memset(&address.sin_addr, 0, sizeof(address.sin_addr));
 		address.sin_port = lport;
@@ -123,6 +137,11 @@
 			bb_perror_msg_and_die("connect");
 	}
 
+	if (wsecs) {
+		alarm(0);
+		signal(SIGALRM, SIG_DFL);
+	}
+
 #ifdef GAPING_SECURITY_HOLE
 	/* -e given? */
 	if (pr00gie) {