diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 54169a1..59c424d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@ from semantics3 import Products
 
 # Set up a client to talk to the Semantics3 API using your Semantics3 API Credentials
 sem3 = Products(
-	api_key = "SEM3xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
-	api_secret = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
+    api_key=os.environ['SEMANTICS3_API_KEY'],
+    api_secret=os.environ['SEMANTICS3_API_SECRET']
 )
 ```
 
@@ -94,6 +94,31 @@ for i in sem3.iter():
     sleep(1) #respect rate limit
 ```
 
+### Request Timeout
+
+The RealTime API has a hard server-side timeout of **60s** (up to **120s** for some customers) by default after which the client request will be aborted. You can 
+override this behaviour by setting a client-side timeout value as shown below:
+
+```python
+import os
+from requests.exceptions import ReadTimeout, ConnectTimeout
+from semantics3 import Products
+
+sem3 = Products(
+    api_key=os.environ['SEMANTICS3_API_KEY'],
+    api_secret=os.environ['SEMANTICS3_API_SECRET'],
+    timeout=5
+)
+
+try:
+    sem3.run_query('realtime/skus', 'GET', { 'url': 'https://www.walmart.com/ip/325408104' })
+except (ReadTimeout, ConnectTimeout):
+    print('request timed out in 5s')
+
+```
+
+
+
 ### UPC Query
 
 Running a UPC/EAN/GTIN query is as simple as running a search query:
diff --git a/semantics3/products.py b/semantics3/products.py
index 6bc7452..a07d6b0 100644
--- a/semantics3/products.py
+++ b/semantics3/products.py
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 
 
 class Products(Semantics3Request):
-    def __init__(self, api_key, api_secret, api_base='https://api.semantics3.com/v1/'):
-        Semantics3Request.__init__(self, api_key, api_secret, 'products', api_base)
+    def __init__(self, api_key, api_secret, api_base='https://api.semantics3.com/v1/', timeout=120):
+        Semantics3Request.__init__(self, api_key, api_secret, 'products', api_base, timeout)
 
     def get_products(self):
         return self.get()
diff --git a/semantics3/semantics3.py b/semantics3/semantics3.py
index 5b36b48..c6657e0 100644
--- a/semantics3/semantics3.py
+++ b/semantics3/semantics3.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 
 class Semantics3Request:
 
-    def __init__(self, api_key=None, api_secret=None, endpoint=None, api_base='https://api.semantics3.com/v1/'):
+    def __init__(self, api_key=None, api_secret=None, endpoint=None, api_base='https://api.semantics3.com/v1/', timeout=120):
         if api_key is None:
             raise Semantics3Error(
                 'API Credentials Missing',
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ def __init__(self, api_key=None, api_secret=None, endpoint=None, api_base='https
         self.query_result = None
         self.cache_size = 10
         self.api_base = api_base
+        self.timeout = timeout
 
     def fetch(self, method, endpoint, params):
         api_endpoint = url_normalize(self.api_base + endpoint)
@@ -44,14 +45,16 @@ def fetch(self, method, endpoint, params):
                         method,
                         api_endpoint,
                         params = params,
-                        headers={'User-Agent':'Semantics3 Python Lib/0.2'}
+                        headers={'User-Agent':'Semantics3 Python Lib/0.2'},
+                        timeout=self.timeout
                       )
         else:
             content = self.oauth.request(
                         method,
                         api_endpoint,
                         data = json.dumps(params),
-                        headers={'User-Agent':'Semantics3 Python Lib/0.2', 'Content-Type':'application/json'}
+                        headers={'User-Agent':'Semantics3 Python Lib/0.2', 'Content-Type':'application/json'},
+                        timeout=self.timeout
                       )
         return content