diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index d57e8ca..642b8cb 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -9,8 +9,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	cfgFile string
-	dataDir string
+	cfgFile     string
+	dataDir     string
+	connTimeout int
 )
 
 // rootCmd represents the base command when called without any subcommands
diff --git a/cmd/send.go b/cmd/send.go
index 6abb2b2..418d544 100644
--- a/cmd/send.go
+++ b/cmd/send.go
@@ -20,10 +20,11 @@ messages can be piped into this command.`,
 		return nil
 	},
 	Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
-		brbrclient.Send(dataDir, args[0])
+		brbrclient.Send(dataDir, args[0], connTimeout)
 	},
 }
 
 func init() {
+	sendCmd.Flags().IntVarP(&connTimeout, "timeout", "t", 60, "Specify connection timeout in seconds")
 	rootCmd.AddCommand(sendCmd)
 }
diff --git a/lib/brbrclient/client.go b/lib/brbrclient/client.go
index 0e5fe3d..b2834e8 100644
--- a/lib/brbrclient/client.go
+++ b/lib/brbrclient/client.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
 )
 
-func Send(dataDir, rcptAddr string) {
+func Send(dataDir, rcptAddr string, timeout int) {
 	var rcptId, msg string
 
 	if strings.HasSuffix(rcptAddr, ".onion") {
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ func Send(dataDir, rcptAddr string) {
 
 	msg = strings.Join(msgLines, "\n")
 
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Minute)
+	connTimeout := time.Duration(timeout) * time.Second
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connTimeout)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	// use embedded tor (only on linux)
@@ -80,7 +82,7 @@ func Send(dataDir, rcptAddr string) {
 	//}
 	//defer t.Close()
 
-	log.Printf("Connecting to onion service %s", rcptAddr)
+	log.Printf("Connecting to onion service %s (timeout: %s)", rcptAddr, connTimeout)
 
 	dialer, err := t.Dialer(ctx, nil)
 	if err != nil {