diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index 8cc74977..dcf9788c 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Version 2.9.12-beta+timestamp.2015.01.12.21.00.43
+Version 2.9.12-beta+timestamp.2015.01.15.09.47.52
diff --git a/gluon/tools.py b/gluon/tools.py
index 8db8d0ae..d718f1f4 100644
--- a/gluon/tools.py
+++ b/gluon/tools.py
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ class Mail(object):
         mail.settings.server
         mail.settings.sender
         mail.settings.login
+        mail.settings.timeout = 60 # seconds (default)
 
     When server is 'logging', email is logged but not sent (debug mode)
 
@@ -265,6 +266,7 @@ class Mail(object):
         settings.sender = sender
         settings.login = login
         settings.tls = tls
+        settings.timeout = 60 # seconds
         settings.hostname = None
         settings.ssl = False
         settings.cipher_type = None
@@ -787,10 +789,11 @@ class Mail(object):
                         subject=subject, body=text, **xcc)
             else:
                 smtp_args = self.settings.server.split(':')
+                kwargs = dict(timeout = self.settings.timeout)
                 if self.settings.ssl:
-                    server = smtplib.SMTP_SSL(*smtp_args)
+                    server = smtplib.SMTP_SSL(*smtp_args, **kwargs)
                 else:
-                    server = smtplib.SMTP(*smtp_args)
+                    server = smtplib.SMTP(*smtp_args, **kwargs)
                 if self.settings.tls and not self.settings.ssl:
                     server.ehlo(self.settings.hostname)
                     server.starttls()