diff --git a/broker/hosts.py b/broker/hosts.py
index c1a594c7..cd89974d 100644
--- a/broker/hosts.py
+++ b/broker/hosts.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ def connect(
             password=password,
             port=_port,
             key_filename=key_filename,
+            timeout=timeout
         )
 
     def close(self):
diff --git a/broker/session.py b/broker/session.py
index df9d0303..7a966136 100644
--- a/broker/session.py
+++ b/broker/session.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs):
         sock.settimeout(kwargs.get("timeout"))
         port = kwargs.get("port", 22)
         key_filename = kwargs.get("key_filename")
-        helpers.simple_retry(sock.connect, [(host, port)])
+        timeout = kwargs.get("timeout", 60)
+        helpers.simple_retry(sock.connect, [(host, port)], max_timeout=timeout)
         self.session = ssh2_Session()
         self.session.handshake(sock)
         if key_filename:
diff --git a/broker/settings.py b/broker/settings.py
index a20154c8..4bea0854 100644
--- a/broker/settings.py
+++ b/broker/settings.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def init_settings(settings_path, interactive=False):
 validators = [
     Validator("HOST_USERNAME", default="root"),
     Validator("HOST_PASSWORD", default="toor"),
-    Validator("HOST_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT", default=None),
+    Validator("HOST_CONNECTION_TIMEOUT", default=60),
     Validator("HOST_SSH_PORT", default=22),
     Validator("HOST_SSH_KEY_FILENAME", default=None),
     Validator("LOGGING", is_type_of=dict),