diff --git a/src/ModbusMaster.cpp b/src/ModbusMaster.cpp
index 4169e58..9ae0f53 100644
--- a/src/ModbusMaster.cpp
+++ b/src/ModbusMaster.cpp
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ ModbusMaster::ModbusMaster(void)
   _idle = 0;
   _preTransmission = 0;
   _postTransmission = 0;
+  _u16ResponseTimeout = ku16MBDefaultResponseTimeout;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -140,9 +141,6 @@ void ModbusMaster::send(uint8_t data)
 
 
 
-
-
-
 uint8_t ModbusMaster::available(void)
 {
   return _u8ResponseBufferLength - _u8ResponseBufferIndex;
@@ -294,6 +292,22 @@ void ModbusMaster::clearTransmitBuffer()
   }
 }
 
+/**
+Get the response timeout.  Value is in msec.
+*/
+uint16_t ModbusMaster::getResponseTimeout()
+{
+   return _u16ResponseTimeout;
+}
+
+/**
+Sets the response timeout.  Value should be given in msec.
+The default is 2000 msec.
+*/
+void ModbusMaster::setResponseTimeout(uint16_t timeout)
+{
+  _u16ResponseTimeout = timeout;
+}
 
 /**
 Modbus function 0x01 Read Coils.
@@ -797,7 +811,7 @@ uint8_t ModbusMaster::ModbusMasterTransaction(uint8_t u8MBFunction)
           break;
       }
     }
-    if ((millis() - u32StartTime) > ku16MBResponseTimeout)
+    if ((millis() - u32StartTime) > _u16ResponseTimeout)
     {
       u8MBStatus = ku8MBResponseTimedOut;
     }
diff --git a/src/ModbusMaster.h b/src/ModbusMaster.h
index 8c433e6..6d6a1fb 100644
--- a/src/ModbusMaster.h
+++ b/src/ModbusMaster.h
@@ -192,6 +192,9 @@ class ModbusMaster
     void     clearResponseBuffer();
     uint8_t  setTransmitBuffer(uint8_t, uint16_t);
     void     clearTransmitBuffer();
+
+    uint16_t getResponseTimeout();
+    void     setResponseTimeout(uint16_t);
     
     void beginTransmission(uint16_t);
     uint8_t requestFrom(uint16_t, uint16_t);
@@ -233,6 +236,7 @@ class ModbusMaster
     uint16_t* rxBuffer; // from Wire.h -- need to clean this up Rx
     uint8_t _u8ResponseBufferIndex;
     uint8_t _u8ResponseBufferLength;
+    uint16_t _u16ResponseTimeout;
     
     // Modbus function codes for bit access
     static const uint8_t ku8MBReadCoils                  = 0x01; ///< Modbus function 0x01 Read Coils
@@ -249,7 +253,7 @@ class ModbusMaster
     static const uint8_t ku8MBReadWriteMultipleRegisters = 0x17; ///< Modbus function 0x17 Read Write Multiple Registers
     
     // Modbus timeout [milliseconds]
-    static const uint16_t ku16MBResponseTimeout          = 2000; ///< Modbus timeout [milliseconds]
+    static const uint16_t ku16MBDefaultResponseTimeout          = 2000; ///< Modbus timeout [milliseconds]
     
     // master function that conducts Modbus transactions
     uint8_t ModbusMasterTransaction(uint8_t u8MBFunction);