diff --git a/mitterlib/network/__init__.py b/mitterlib/network/__init__.py
index 3c3d5af..0b81f2a 100644
--- a/mitterlib/network/__init__.py
+++ b/mitterlib/network/__init__.py
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@ class Networks(object):
 
         # add Networks own options
         self._options.add_group('Network_Manager', 'Network Manager')
+        self._options.add_option(
+                '--timeout',
+                group='Network_Manager',
+                option='timeout',
+                help='Timeout for requests in all networks.',
+                type='int',
+                metavar='SECONDS',
+                default=120)
         self._options.add_option(
                 group='Network_Manager',
                 option='save_count',
diff --git a/mitterlib/network/twitter.py b/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
index 4855259..55a4022 100644
--- a/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
+++ b/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ class Connection(NetworkBase):
             _log.debug('Body: %s' % (body))
             request.add_data(body)
 
+        timeout = self._options['Network_Manager']['timeout']
         try:
-            _log.debug('Starting request of %s' % (url))
-            response = urllib2.urlopen(request)
+            _log.debug('Starting request of %s (timeout %d)' % (url, timeout))
+            response = urllib2.urlopen(request, timeout=timeout)
             data = response.read()
         except urllib2.HTTPError, exc:
             _log.debug('HTTPError: %d' % (exc.code))
diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
index ed4d139..72ad22c 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
@@ -1242,8 +1242,9 @@ class Interface(object):
     def _download_pic(self, url):
         """Download a picture from the web. Can be used in a thread."""
         request = urllib2.Request(url=url)
-        _log.debug('Starting request of %s' % (url))
-        response = urllib2.urlopen(request)
+        timeout = self._options['Network_Manager']['timeout']
+        _log.debug('Starting request of %s (timeout %d)' % (url, timeout))
+        response = urllib2.urlopen(request, timeout=timeout)
         data = response.read()
         _log.debug('Request completed')