diff --git a/client/client_shared.c b/client/client_shared.c
index 3851f37c..f14ebb1e 100644
--- a/client/client_shared.c
+++ b/client/client_shared.c
@@ -442,6 +442,22 @@ int client_config_line_proc(struct mosq_config *cfg, int pub_or_sub, int argc, c
 				}
 				i++;
 			}
+		}else if(!strcmp(argv[i], "-W")){
+			if(pub_or_sub == CLIENT_PUB){
+				goto unknown_option;
+			}else{
+				if(i==argc-1){
+					fprintf(stderr, "Error: -W argument given but no timeout specified.\n\n");
+					return 1;
+				}else{
+					cfg->timeout = atoi(argv[i+1]);
+					if(cfg->timeout < 1){
+						fprintf(stderr, "Error: Invalid timeout \"%d\".\n\n", cfg->msg_count);
+						return 1;
+					}
+				}
+				i++;
+			}
 		}else if(!strcmp(argv[i], "-d") || !strcmp(argv[i], "--debug")){
 			cfg->debug = true;
 		}else if(!strcmp(argv[i], "-f") || !strcmp(argv[i], "--file")){
diff --git a/client/client_shared.h b/client/client_shared.h
index 09d0add6..f1ce6f31 100644
--- a/client/client_shared.h
+++ b/client/client_shared.h
@@ -84,6 +84,7 @@ struct mosq_config {
 	bool eol; /* sub */
 	int msg_count; /* sub */
 	char *format; /* sub */
+	int timeout; /* sub */
 #ifdef WITH_SOCKS
 	char *socks5_host;
 	int socks5_port;
diff --git a/client/sub_client.c b/client/sub_client.c
index 5011259e..1d836846 100644
--- a/client/sub_client.c
+++ b/client/sub_client.c
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ Contributors:
    Roger Light - initial implementation and documentation.
 */
 
+#define _POSIX_C_SOURCE 200809L
+
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -22,6 +24,7 @@ Contributors:
 #include <time.h>
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 #else
 #include <process.h>
 #include <winsock2.h>
@@ -33,6 +36,17 @@ Contributors:
 
 bool process_messages = true;
 int msg_count = 0;
+struct mosquitto *mosq = NULL;
+
+#ifndef WIN32
+void my_signal_handler(int signum)
+{
+	if(signum == SIGALRM){
+		process_messages = false;
+		mosquitto_disconnect(mosq);
+	}
+}
+#endif
 
 void print_message(struct mosq_config *cfg, const struct mosquitto_message *message);
 
@@ -127,6 +141,9 @@ void print_usage(void)
 	printf("                     [-c] [-k keepalive] [-q qos]\n");
 	printf("                     [-C msg_count] [-R] [--retained-only] [-T filter_out] [-U topic ...]\n");
 	printf("                     [-F format]\n");
+#ifndef WIN32
+	printf("                     [-W timeout_secs]\n");
+#endif
 #ifdef WITH_SRV
 	printf("                     [-A bind_address] [-S]\n");
 #else
@@ -174,6 +191,9 @@ void print_usage(void)
 	printf(" -v : print published messages verbosely.\n");
 	printf(" -V : specify the version of the MQTT protocol to use when connecting.\n");
 	printf("      Can be mqttv31 or mqttv311. Defaults to mqttv311.\n");
+#ifndef WIN32
+	printf(" -W : Specifies a timeout in seconds how long to process incoming MQTT messages.\n");
+#endif
 	printf(" --help : display this message.\n");
 	printf(" --quiet : don't print error messages.\n");
 	printf(" --retained-only : only handle messages with the retained flag set, and exit when the\n");
@@ -214,10 +234,13 @@ void print_usage(void)
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct mosq_config cfg;
-	struct mosquitto *mosq = NULL;
 	int rc;
+#ifndef WIN32
+		struct sigaction sigact;
+#endif
 	
 	memset(&cfg, 0, sizeof(struct mosq_config));
+
 	rc = client_config_load(&cfg, CLIENT_SUB, argc, argv);
 	if(rc){
 		client_config_cleanup(&cfg);
@@ -267,6 +290,20 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	rc = client_connect(mosq, &cfg);
 	if(rc) return rc;
 
+#ifndef WIN32
+	sigact.sa_handler = my_signal_handler;
+	sigemptyset(&sigact.sa_mask);
+	sigact.sa_flags = 0;
+
+	if(sigaction(SIGALRM, &sigact, NULL) == -1){
+		perror("sigaction");
+		return 1;
+	}
+
+	if(cfg.timeout){
+		alarm(cfg.timeout);
+	}
+#endif
 
 	rc = mosquitto_loop_forever(mosq, -1, 1);
 
diff --git a/lib/loop.c b/lib/loop.c
index 902e35ce..d2f9f8e1 100644
--- a/lib/loop.c
+++ b/lib/loop.c
@@ -18,6 +18,9 @@ Contributors:
 
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <sys/select.h>
+#ifndef WIN32
+#include <time.h>
+#endif
 
 #include "mosquitto.h"
 #include "mosquitto_internal.h"
@@ -203,6 +206,9 @@ int mosquitto_loop_forever(struct mosquitto *mosq, int timeout, int max_packets)
 	int rc;
 	unsigned int reconnects = 0;
 	unsigned long reconnect_delay;
+#ifndef WIN32
+	struct timespec req, rem;
+#endif
 
 	if(!mosq) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
@@ -262,7 +268,11 @@ int mosquitto_loop_forever(struct mosquitto *mosq, int timeout, int max_packets)
 #ifdef WIN32
 				Sleep(reconnect_delay*1000);
 #else
-				sleep(reconnect_delay);
+				req.tv_sec = reconnect_delay;
+				req.tv_nsec = 0;
+				while(nanosleep(&req, &rem) == -1 && errno == EINTR){
+					req = rem;
+				}
 #endif
 
 				pthread_mutex_lock(&mosq->state_mutex);