diff --git a/common/memory-stream/memory-stream.cpp b/common/memory-stream/memory-stream.cpp
index aee8d395..aa92caf3 100644
--- a/common/memory-stream/memory-stream.cpp
+++ b/common/memory-stream/memory-stream.cpp
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ class SimplexMemoryStream final : public IStream
         if (closed) return -1;
         return m_ringbuf.writev(iov, iovcnt);
     }
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const override
+    {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t) override {}
 };
 
 class DuplexMemoryStreamImpl : public DuplexMemoryStream
@@ -91,6 +96,11 @@ class DuplexMemoryStreamImpl : public DuplexMemoryStream
             if (closed) return -1;
             return s2->writev(iov, iovcnt);
         }
+        virtual uint64_t timeout() const override
+        {
+            return -1;
+        }
+        virtual void timeout(uint64_t) override {}
     };
 
     EndPoint epa, epb;
@@ -196,6 +206,11 @@ class FaultStream : public IStream
         return m_stream->writev(iov, iovcnt);
     }
 
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const override
+    {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t) override {}
 };
 
 IStream* new_fault_stream(IStream* stream, int flag, bool ownership) {
diff --git a/common/stream.h b/common/stream.h
index cc21cb87..156859a3 100644
--- a/common/stream.h
+++ b/common/stream.h
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ class IStream : public Object
         return writev(iov, iovcnt);
     }
 
+    // get/set default timeout, in us, (default +∞)
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const = 0;
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t tm) = 0;
+
     struct ReadAll {
         struct FreeDeleter {
             void operator()(void* ptr) {
diff --git a/examples/rpc/client.h b/examples/rpc/client.h
index 2b3791ac..1a5acb9d 100644
--- a/examples/rpc/client.h
+++ b/examples/rpc/client.h
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ struct ExampleClient {
     // TCP connection will failed in 1 second(1UL*1000*1000) if not accepted
     // and connection send/recv will take 5 socneds(5UL*1000*1000) as timedout
     ExampleClient()
-        : pool(photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(10UL * 1000 * 1000, 1UL * 1000 * 1000,
-                                          5UL * 1000 * 1000)) {}
+        : pool(photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(10UL * 1000 * 1000, 1UL * 1000 * 1000)) {}
 
     int64_t RPCHeartbeat(photon::net::EndPoint ep);
 
diff --git a/fs/filesystem.h b/fs/filesystem.h
index 71c6ea81..115b65aa 100644
--- a/fs/filesystem.h
+++ b/fs/filesystem.h
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ namespace fs
         UNIMPLEMENTED(int sync_file_range(off_t offset, off_t nbytes, unsigned int flags));
         UNIMPLEMENTED(int fallocate(int mode, off_t offset, off_t len));
         UNIMPLEMENTED(int fiemap(struct fiemap* map));   // query the extent map for
+        UNIMPLEMENTED(uint64_t timeout() const override);
+        void timeout(uint64_t tm) override {
+            // unimplemented by default
+        }
 
         // append write to the file
         // if `offset` is specified, it must be equal to current size of the
diff --git a/net/datagram_socket.h b/net/datagram_socket.h
index 344b44a6..4ed021bb 100644
--- a/net/datagram_socket.h
+++ b/net/datagram_socket.h
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ class IDatagramSocket : public IMessage,
     }
     using IMessage::recv;
     using IMessage::send;
+
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const = 0;
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t) = 0;
 };
 
 class UDPSocket : public IDatagramSocket {
diff --git a/net/http/body.cpp b/net/http/body.cpp
index 60562ae8..f67dd693 100644
--- a/net/http/body.cpp
+++ b/net/http/body.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,13 @@ class BodyReadStream : public ROStream {
         return ret;
     }
 
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const override {
+        return m_stream ? m_stream->timeout() : -1UL;
+    }
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t timeout) override {
+        if (m_stream) m_stream->timeout(timeout);
+    }
+
 protected:
     net::ISocketStream *m_stream;
     char* m_partial_body_buf;
@@ -255,6 +262,13 @@ class BodyWriteStream: public WOStream {
         return wc;
     }
 
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const override {
+        return m_stream ? m_stream->timeout() : -1UL;
+    }
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t timeout) override {
+        if (m_stream) m_stream->timeout(timeout);
+    }
+
 protected:
     net::ISocketStream *m_stream;
     size_t m_size = 0;
@@ -297,6 +311,13 @@ class ChunkedBodyWriteStream: public WOStream {
         return count;
     }
 
+    virtual uint64_t timeout() const override {
+        return m_stream ? m_stream->timeout() : -1UL;
+    }
+    virtual void timeout(uint64_t timeout) override {
+        if (m_stream) m_stream->timeout(timeout);
+    }
+
 protected:
     net::ISocketStream *m_stream;
     bool m_finish = false;
diff --git a/net/http/message.h b/net/http/message.h
index 9b85b9b3..71e2408a 100644
--- a/net/http/message.h
+++ b/net/http/message.h
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ class Message : public IStream {
     ssize_t write_stream(IStream *stream, size_t size_limit = -1);
     int close() override { return 0; }
 
+    uint64_t timeout() const override { return -1UL; }
+    void timeout(uint64_t timeout) override {}
+
     // size of body
     size_t body_size() const;
     // size of origin resource
diff --git a/net/socket.h b/net/socket.h
index 1751f358..8adb4cb3 100644
--- a/net/socket.h
+++ b/net/socket.h
@@ -204,10 +204,6 @@ namespace net {
             if (ret >= 0) *value = v;
             return ret;
         }
-
-        // get/set default timeout, in us, (default +∞)
-        virtual uint64_t timeout() const = 0;
-        virtual void timeout(uint64_t tm) = 0;
     };
 
     class ISocketName {
@@ -254,6 +250,9 @@ namespace net {
         virtual ISocketStream* connect(const EndPoint& remote, const EndPoint* local = nullptr) = 0;
         // Connect to a Unix Domain Socket.
         virtual ISocketStream* connect(const char* path, size_t count = 0) = 0;
+
+        virtual uint64_t timeout() const = 0;
+        virtual void timeout(uint64_t) = 0;
     };
 
     class ISocketServer : public ISocketBase, public ISocketName, public Object {
@@ -276,6 +275,9 @@ namespace net {
         virtual int start_loop(bool block = false) = 0;
         // Close the listening fd. It's the user's responsibility to close the active connections.
         virtual void terminate() = 0;
+
+        virtual uint64_t timeout() const = 0;
+        virtual void timeout(uint64_t) = 0;
     };
 
     extern "C" ISocketClient* new_tcp_socket_client();
diff --git a/net/test/zerocopy-client.cpp b/net/test/zerocopy-client.cpp
index 0a28d7a9..03419c10 100644
--- a/net/test/zerocopy-client.cpp
+++ b/net/test/zerocopy-client.cpp
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
     DEFER(delete[] g_read_buffers);
     prepare_read_buffers();
 
-    auto pool = rpc::new_stub_pool(60 * 1000 * 1000, 10 * 1000 * 1000, -1);
+    auto pool = rpc::new_stub_pool(60 * 1000 * 1000, 10 * 1000 * 1000);
     DEFER(delete pool);
 
     photon::thread_create11(show_performance_statis);
diff --git a/rpc/rpc.cpp b/rpc/rpc.cpp
index 85d1ba45..5bbdc594 100644
--- a/rpc/rpc.cpp
+++ b/rpc/rpc.cpp
@@ -80,6 +80,8 @@ namespace rpc {
             auto iov = args->request;
             auto ret = iov->push_front({&header, sizeof(header)});
             if (ret != sizeof(header)) return -1;
+            m_stream->timeout(args->timeout.timeout());
+            DEFER(m_stream->timeout(-1));
             ret = args->RET = m_stream->writev(iov->iovec(), iov->iovcnt());
             if (ret != header.size + sizeof(header)) {
                 ERRNO err;
@@ -96,6 +98,8 @@ namespace rpc {
                 // m_stream->shutdown(ShutdownHow::ReadWrite);
                 LOG_ERROR_RETURN(ETIMEDOUT, -1, "Timeout before read header ");
             }
+            m_stream->timeout(args->timeout.timeout());
+            DEFER(m_stream->timeout(-1));
             auto ret = args->RET = m_stream->read(&m_header, sizeof(m_header));
             args->tag = m_header.tag;
             if (ret != sizeof(m_header)) {
@@ -119,6 +123,8 @@ namespace rpc {
             if (iov->iovcnt() == 0) {
                 iov->malloc(m_header.size);
             }
+            m_stream->timeout(args->timeout.timeout());
+            DEFER(m_stream->timeout(-1));
             auto ret = m_stream->readv((const iovec*)iov->iovec(), iov->iovcnt());
             // return 0 means it has been disconnected
             // should take as fault
@@ -419,12 +425,11 @@ namespace rpc {
 
     class StubPoolImpl : public StubPool {
     public:
-        explicit StubPoolImpl(uint64_t expiration, uint64_t connect_timeout, uint64_t transfer_timeout) {
+        explicit StubPoolImpl(uint64_t expiration, uint64_t connect_timeout) {
             tls_ctx = net::new_tls_context(nullptr, nullptr, nullptr);
             tcpclient = net::new_tcp_socket_client();
             tcpclient->timeout(connect_timeout);
             m_pool = new ObjectCache<net::EndPoint, rpc::Stub*>(expiration);
-            m_transfer_timeout = transfer_timeout;
         }
 
         ~StubPoolImpl() {
@@ -454,7 +459,7 @@ namespace rpc {
         }
 
         uint64_t get_timeout() const override {
-            return m_transfer_timeout;
+            return tcpclient->timeout();
         }
 
     protected:
@@ -463,7 +468,7 @@ namespace rpc {
             if (!sock)
                 LOG_ERRNO_RETURN(0, nullptr, "failed to connect to ", ep);
             LOG_DEBUG("connected to ", ep);
-            sock->timeout(m_transfer_timeout);
+            sock->timeout(-1UL);
             if (tls) {
                 sock = net::new_tls_stream(tls_ctx, sock, net::SecurityRole::Client, true);
             }
@@ -473,7 +478,6 @@ namespace rpc {
         ObjectCache<net::EndPoint, rpc::Stub*>* m_pool;
         net::ISocketClient *tcpclient;
         net::TLSContext* tls_ctx = nullptr;
-        uint64_t m_transfer_timeout;
     };
 
     // dummy pool, for unix domain socket connection to only one point only
@@ -481,8 +485,8 @@ namespace rpc {
     class UDSStubPoolImpl : public StubPoolImpl {
     public:
         explicit UDSStubPoolImpl(const char* path, uint64_t expiration,
-                                 uint64_t connect_timeout, uint64_t transfer_timeout)
-            : StubPoolImpl(expiration, connect_timeout, transfer_timeout),
+                                 uint64_t connect_timeout)
+            : StubPoolImpl(expiration, connect_timeout),
               m_path(path), m_client(net::new_uds_client()) {
                   m_client->timeout(connect_timeout);
               }
@@ -498,7 +502,8 @@ namespace rpc {
                     LOG_ERRNO_RETURN(0, nullptr,
                                      "Connect to unix domain socket failed");
                 }
-                sock->timeout(m_transfer_timeout);
+                // stub socket always set timeout for single action
+                sock->timeout(-1UL);
                 return new_rpc_stub(sock, true);
             });
         }
@@ -508,16 +513,13 @@ namespace rpc {
         net::ISocketClient * m_client;
     };
 
-    StubPool* new_stub_pool(uint64_t expiration, uint64_t connect_timeout,
-                            uint64_t transfer_timeout) {
-        return new StubPoolImpl(expiration, connect_timeout, transfer_timeout);
+    StubPool* new_stub_pool(uint64_t expiration, uint64_t connect_timeout) {
+        return new StubPoolImpl(expiration, connect_timeout);
     }
 
     StubPool* new_uds_stub_pool(const char* path, uint64_t expiration,
-                                uint64_t connect_timeout,
-                                uint64_t transfer_timeout) {
-        return new UDSStubPoolImpl(path, expiration, connect_timeout,
-                                   transfer_timeout);
+                                uint64_t connect_timeout) {
+        return new UDSStubPoolImpl(path, expiration, connect_timeout);
     }
     }  // namespace rpc
 }
diff --git a/rpc/rpc.h b/rpc/rpc.h
index e4419a95..f863368a 100644
--- a/rpc/rpc.h
+++ b/rpc/rpc.h
@@ -251,19 +251,14 @@ namespace rpc
     About timeout:
     1. When a socket/stub not used by any caller for `expiration` microsecs, it will be dropped.
     2. When socket connecting, it will fail by be timed out after `connect_timeout` microsecs.
-    3. When socket needs to read/write (like sending request and waiting for any response), but got
-       nothing in `transfer_timeout` microsecs, it will be timed out. It's just a timeout for a single
-       read/write operation, not a RPC timeout, which is controlled by the caller when invoking `Stub::call`.
     4. `Stub::call` measures the time from invoking `call` before sending request to received
        response head. Receiving response body is not considered.
     **/
     extern "C" StubPool* new_stub_pool(uint64_t expiration,
-                                       uint64_t connect_timeout,
-                                       uint64_t transfer_timeout);
+                                       uint64_t connect_timeout);
     extern "C" StubPool* new_uds_stub_pool(const char* path,
                                            uint64_t expiration,
-                                           uint64_t connect_timeout,
-                                           uint64_t transfer_timeout);
+                                           uint64_t connect_timeout);
     extern "C" Skeleton* new_skeleton(uint32_t pool_size = 128);
 
     __attribute__((deprecated))
diff --git a/rpc/test/test-rpc-message.cpp b/rpc/test/test-rpc-message.cpp
index 1a632d04..4285602f 100644
--- a/rpc/test/test-rpc-message.cpp
+++ b/rpc/test/test-rpc-message.cpp
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ TEST(rpc, message) {
     TestRPCServer server;
     ASSERT_EQ(0, server.run());
 
-    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1, -1);
+    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1);
     DEFER(delete pool);
 
     photon::net::EndPoint ep;
diff --git a/rpc/test/test.cpp b/rpc/test/test.cpp
index ef92ba1c..6e237408 100644
--- a/rpc/test/test.cpp
+++ b/rpc/test/test.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ TEST_F(RpcTest, shutdown) {
     RpcServer rpc_server(sk, socket_server);
     GTEST_ASSERT_EQ(0, rpc_server.run());
 
-    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1, -1);
+    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1);
     DEFER(delete pool);
 
     auto& ep = rpc_server.m_endpoint;
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ TEST_F(RpcTest, passive_shutdown) {
     auto& ep = rpc_server.m_endpoint;
     photon::thread_create11([&]{
         // Should always succeed in 3 seconds
-        auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1, -1);
+        auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1);
         DEFER(delete pool);
         auto stub = pool->get_stub(ep, false);
         if (!stub) abort();
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ TEST_F(RpcTest, passive_shutdown) {
     photon::thread_create11([&]{
         photon::thread_sleep(2);
         // Should get connection refused after 2 seconds. Because socket closed listen fd at 1 second.
-        auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1, -1);
+        auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1);
         DEFER(delete pool);
         auto stub = pool->get_stub(ep, false);
         if (stub) {
@@ -549,7 +549,7 @@ TEST_F(RpcTest, timeout_with_hb) {
     GTEST_ASSERT_EQ(0, rpc_server.run());
 
     auto& ep = rpc_server.m_endpoint;
-    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1, 1'000'000);
+    auto pool = photon::rpc::new_stub_pool(-1, -1);
     DEFER(delete pool);
     auto th1 = photon::thread_enable_join(photon::thread_create11([&]{
         // Should always succeed in 5 seconds