diff --git a/lib/rghost/gs_alone.rb b/lib/rghost/gs_alone.rb
index e51c35f..2ba1310 100755
--- a/lib/rghost/gs_alone.rb
+++ b/lib/rghost/gs_alone.rb
@@ -12,9 +12,15 @@ def run
     unless File.exists?(RGhost::Config::GS[:path].to_s)
       RGhost::Config.config_platform
     end
-    r=system(RGhost::Config::GS[:path]+cmd)
+
+    full_command = "#{RGhost::Config::GS[:path]}#{cmd}"
+    timeout = RGhost::Config::GS[:timeout].to_i
+    if timeout > 0
+      full_command = "timeout #{timeout}s #{full_command}"
+    end
+    r=system(full_command)
     
-    puts RGhost::Config::GS[:path]+cmd if @debug
+    puts full_command if @debug
     #puts r
     r
   end
diff --git a/lib/rghost/ruby_ghost_config.rb b/lib/rghost/ruby_ghost_config.rb
index b83ff67..8f1add7 100755
--- a/lib/rghost/ruby_ghost_config.rb
+++ b/lib/rghost/ruby_ghost_config.rb
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ module RGhost::Config
     :plugin => nil,
     :path => nil,
     :tmpdir => ENV["TMP"] || ENV["TMPDIR"] || ENV["TEMPDIR"] || ENV["TEMP"] || "/tmp",
+    :timeout => ENV['GS_TIMEOUT'] || 3000,
     :pslibdir => File.join( File.dirname(__FILE__),"ps"),
     :extensions => [],
     :preload => [],