diff --git a/include/zmq.h b/include/zmq.h
index aaf3d55e..fd86f15e 100644
--- a/include/zmq.h
+++ b/include/zmq.h
@@ -320,6 +320,7 @@ ZMQ_EXPORT uint32_t zmq_msg_get_routing_id(zmq_msg_t *msg);
 #define ZMQ_HEARTBEAT_TTL 76
 #define ZMQ_HEARTBEAT_TIMEOUT 77
 #define ZMQ_XPUB_VERBOSE_UNSUBSCRIBE 78
+#define ZMQ_CONNECT_TIMEOUT 79
 
 /*  Message options                                                           */
 #define ZMQ_MORE 1
diff --git a/src/options.cpp b/src/options.cpp
index 6d4d000d..40ba22a9 100644
--- a/src/options.cpp
+++ b/src/options.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ zmq::options_t::options_t () :
     tos (0),
     type (-1),
     linger (-1),
+    connect_timeout (0),
     reconnect_ivl (100),
     reconnect_ivl_max (0),
     backlog (100),
@@ -158,6 +159,13 @@ int zmq::options_t::setsockopt (int option_, const void *optval_,
             }
             break;
 
+        case ZMQ_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:
+            if (is_int && value >= 0) {
+                connect_timeout = value;
+                return 0;
+            }
+            break;
+
         case ZMQ_RECONNECT_IVL:
             if (is_int && value >= -1) {
                 reconnect_ivl = value;
@@ -653,6 +661,13 @@ int zmq::options_t::getsockopt (int option_, void *optval_, size_t *optvallen_)
             }
             break;
 
+        case ZMQ_CONNECT_TIMEOUT:
+            if (is_int) {
+                *value = connect_timeout;
+                return 0;
+            }
+            break;
+
         case ZMQ_RECONNECT_IVL:
             if (is_int) {
                 *value = reconnect_ivl;
diff --git a/src/options.hpp b/src/options.hpp
index bdaea966..e0b1d2a0 100644
--- a/src/options.hpp
+++ b/src/options.hpp
@@ -92,6 +92,11 @@ namespace zmq
         //  Linger time, in milliseconds.
         int linger;
 
+        //  Maximum interval in milliseconds beyond which userspace will
+        //  timeout connect().
+        //  Default 0 (unused)
+        int connect_timeout;
+
         //  Minimum interval between attempts to reconnect, in milliseconds.
         //  Default 100ms
         int reconnect_ivl;