diff --git a/include/git2/common.h b/include/git2/common.h
index ab6bc1333..0f42c34f6 100644
--- a/include/git2/common.h
+++ b/include/git2/common.h
@@ -490,10 +490,9 @@ typedef enum {
  *
  *   opts(GIT_OPT_SET_SERVER_CONNECT_TIMEOUT, int timeout)
  *      > Sets the timeout (in milliseconds) to attempt connections to
- *      > a remote server. This is supported only for HTTP(S) connections
- *      > and is not supported by SSH. Set to 0 to use the system default.
- *      > Note that this may not be able to be configured longer than the
- *      > system default, typically 75 seconds.
+ *      > a remote server. Set to 0 to use the system default. Note that
+ *      > this may not be able to be configured longer than the system
+ *      > default, typically 75 seconds.
  *
  *   opts(GIT_OPT_GET_SERVER_TIMEOUT, int *timeout)
  *      > Gets the timeout (in milliseconds) for reading from and writing
@@ -501,9 +500,7 @@ typedef enum {
  *
  *   opts(GIT_OPT_SET_SERVER_TIMEOUT, int timeout)
  *      > Sets the timeout (in milliseconds) for reading from and writing
- *      > to a remote server. This is supported only for HTTP(S)
- *      > connections and is not supported by SSH. Set to 0 to use the
- *      > system default.
+ *      > to a remote server. Set to 0 to use the system default.
  *
  * @param option Option key
  * @param ... value to set the option
diff --git a/src/libgit2/transports/ssh_libssh2.c b/src/libgit2/transports/ssh_libssh2.c
index d2be2ba33..d1b5d40d5 100644
--- a/src/libgit2/transports/ssh_libssh2.c
+++ b/src/libgit2/transports/ssh_libssh2.c
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@
 
 #define OWNING_SUBTRANSPORT(s) ((ssh_subtransport *)(s)->parent.subtransport)
 
+extern int git_socket_stream__timeout;
+
 static const char cmd_uploadpack[] = "git-upload-pack";
 static const char cmd_receivepack[] = "git-receive-pack";
 
@@ -539,6 +541,10 @@ static int _git_ssh_session_create(
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	if (git_socket_stream__timeout > 0) {
+		libssh2_session_set_timeout(s, git_socket_stream__timeout);
+	}
+
 	if ((rc = load_known_hosts(&known_hosts, s)) < 0) {
 		ssh_error(s, "error loading known_hosts");
 		libssh2_session_free(s);