diff --git a/lib/net.js b/lib/net.js
index 9968b66723..029a88a583 100644
--- a/lib/net.js
+++ b/lib/net.js
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ var dns = require('dns');
 
 var kMinPoolSpace = 128;
 var kPoolSize = 40*1024;
+var kDefaultTimeout = 60*1000;
 
 var debugLevel = process.env['NODE_DEBUG'] ? 1 : 0;
 function debug () {
@@ -257,6 +258,8 @@ function _doFlush () {
 }
 
 function initStream (self) {
+  timeout.enroll(self, kDefaultTimeout);
+
   self._readWatcher = ioWatchers.alloc();
   self._readWatcher.callback = function () {
     // If this is the first recv (pool doesn't exist) or we've used up