diff --git a/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go b/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
index ee0c98686..34ceda1e1 100644
--- a/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.InspectorConnectionConfig.Key.Hostname, "host", "127.0.0.1", "MySQL hostname (preferably a replica, not the master)")
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.AssumeMasterHostname, "assume-master-host", "", "(optional) explicitly tell gh-ost the identity of the master. Format: some.host.com[:port] This is useful in master-master setups where you wish to pick an explicit master, or in a tungsten-replicator where gh-ost is unable to determine the master")
 	flag.IntVar(&migrationContext.InspectorConnectionConfig.Key.Port, "port", 3306, "MySQL port (preferably a replica, not the master)")
+	flag.Float64Var(&migrationContext.InspectorConnectionConfig.Timeout, "mysql-timeout", 0.0, "Connect, read and write timeout for MySQL")
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.CliUser, "user", "", "MySQL user")
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.CliPassword, "password", "", "MySQL password")
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.CliMasterUser, "master-user", "", "MySQL user on master, if different from that on replica. Requires --assume-master-host")
diff --git a/go/mysql/connection.go b/go/mysql/connection.go
index 654998cc2..6855ee0e6 100644
--- a/go/mysql/connection.go
+++ b/go/mysql/connection.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ type ConnectionConfig struct {
 	Password   string
 	ImpliedKey *InstanceKey
 	tlsConfig  *tls.Config
+	Timeout    float64
 }
 
 func NewConnectionConfig() *ConnectionConfig {
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ func (this *ConnectionConfig) DuplicateCredentials(key InstanceKey) *ConnectionC
 		User:      this.User,
 		Password:  this.Password,
 		tlsConfig: this.tlsConfig,
+		Timeout:   this.Timeout,
 	}
 	config.ImpliedKey = &config.Key
 	return config
@@ -116,5 +118,5 @@ func (this *ConnectionConfig) GetDBUri(databaseName string) string {
 	if this.tlsConfig != nil {
 		tlsOption = TLS_CONFIG_KEY
 	}
-	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s@tcp(%s:%d)/%s?interpolateParams=%t&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=%s", this.User, this.Password, hostname, this.Key.Port, databaseName, interpolateParams, tlsOption)
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s:%s@tcp(%s:%d)/%s?timeout=%fs&readTimeout=%fs&writeTimeout=%fs&interpolateParams=%t&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=%s", this.User, this.Password, hostname, this.Key.Port, databaseName, this.Timeout, this.Timeout, this.Timeout, interpolateParams, tlsOption)
 }
diff --git a/go/mysql/connection_test.go b/go/mysql/connection_test.go
index 6ce85a70f..2befbc9b9 100644
--- a/go/mysql/connection_test.go
+++ b/go/mysql/connection_test.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func TestGetDBUri(t *testing.T) {
 	c.Password = "penguin"
 
 	uri := c.GetDBUri("test")
-	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(uri, "gromit:penguin@tcp(myhost:3306)/test?interpolateParams=true&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=false")
+	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(uri, "gromit:penguin@tcp(myhost:3306)/test?timeout=0.000000s&readTimeout=0.000000s&writeTimeout=0.000000s&interpolateParams=true&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=false")
 }
 
 func TestGetDBUriWithTLSSetup(t *testing.T) {
@@ -80,5 +80,5 @@ func TestGetDBUriWithTLSSetup(t *testing.T) {
 	c.tlsConfig = &tls.Config{}
 
 	uri := c.GetDBUri("test")
-	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(uri, "gromit:penguin@tcp(myhost:3306)/test?interpolateParams=true&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=ghost")
+	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(uri, "gromit:penguin@tcp(myhost:3306)/test?timeout=0.000000s&readTimeout=0.000000s&writeTimeout=0.000000s&interpolateParams=true&autocommit=true&charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1&tls=ghost")
 }