diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 7c1c940e..259e717a 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ supported.
 package client
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 )
 
@@ -71,6 +73,9 @@ type RequestOption func(*RequestOptions)
 
 var (
 	DefaultClient Client = newRpcClient()
+
+	DefaultRetries        = 1
+	DefaultRequestTimeout = time.Second * 5
 )
 
 // Makes a synchronous call to a service using the default client
diff --git a/client/options.go b/client/options.go
index bcf4fdf7..76871a63 100644
--- a/client/options.go
+++ b/client/options.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package client
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/broker"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/registry"
@@ -9,14 +11,15 @@ import (
 )
 
 type Options struct {
-	ContentType string
-	Broker      broker.Broker
-	Codecs      map[string]codec.NewCodec
-	Registry    registry.Registry
-	Selector    selector.Selector
-	Transport   transport.Transport
-	Wrappers    []Wrapper
-	Retries     int
+	ContentType    string
+	Broker         broker.Broker
+	Codecs         map[string]codec.NewCodec
+	Registry       registry.Registry
+	Selector       selector.Selector
+	Transport      transport.Transport
+	Wrappers       []Wrapper
+	Retries        int
+	RequestTimeout time.Duration
 
 	// Other options to be used by client implementations
 	Options map[string]string
@@ -43,17 +46,15 @@ type RequestOptions struct {
 
 func newOptions(options ...Option) Options {
 	opts := Options{
-		Codecs: make(map[string]codec.NewCodec),
+		Codecs:         make(map[string]codec.NewCodec),
+		Retries:        DefaultRetries,
+		RequestTimeout: DefaultRequestTimeout,
 	}
 
 	for _, o := range options {
 		o(&opts)
 	}
 
-	if opts.Retries == 0 {
-		opts.Retries = 1
-	}
-
 	if len(opts.ContentType) == 0 {
 		opts.ContentType = defaultContentType
 	}
@@ -128,13 +129,22 @@ func Wrap(w Wrapper) Option {
 	}
 }
 
-// Number of retries when making the request
+// Number of retries when making the request.
+// Should this be a Call Option?
 func Retries(i int) Option {
 	return func(o *Options) {
 		o.Retries = i
 	}
 }
 
+// The request timeout.
+// Should this be a Call Option?
+func RequestTimeout(d time.Duration) Option {
+	return func(o *Options) {
+		o.RequestTimeout = d
+	}
+}
+
 // Call Options
 
 func WithSelectOption(so selector.SelectOption) CallOption {
diff --git a/client/rpc_client.go b/client/rpc_client.go
index 97219576..0fbab585 100644
--- a/client/rpc_client.go
+++ b/client/rpc_client.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/broker"
 	"github.com/micro/go-micro/codec"
@@ -76,11 +77,24 @@ func (r *rpcClient) call(ctx context.Context, address string, request Request, r
 	defer c.Close()
 
 	client := newClientWithCodec(newRpcPlusCodec(msg, c, cf))
-	err = client.Call(ctx, request.Service(), request.Method(), request.Request(), response)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	ch := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	go func() {
+		select {
+		case ch <- client.Call(ctx, request.Service(), request.Method(), request.Request(), response):
+		default:
+		}
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case err = <-ch:
+	case <-time.After(r.opts.RequestTimeout):
+		err = errors.New("go.micro.client", "request timeout", 408)
 	}
-	return client.Close()
+
+	return err
 }
 
 func (r *rpcClient) stream(ctx context.Context, address string, req Request) (Streamer, error) {
@@ -116,7 +130,21 @@ func (r *rpcClient) stream(ctx context.Context, address string, req Request) (St
 		codec:   newRpcPlusCodec(msg, c, cf),
 	}
 
-	err = stream.Send(req.Request())
+	ch := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	go func() {
+		select {
+		case ch <- stream.Send(req.Request()):
+		default:
+		}
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case err = <-ch:
+	case <-time.After(r.opts.RequestTimeout):
+		err = errors.New("go.micro.client", "request timeout", 408)
+	}
+
 	return stream, err
 }
 
@@ -148,6 +176,8 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Call(ctx context.Context, request Request, response interfac
 		return errors.InternalServerError("go.micro.client", err.Error())
 	}
 
+	var grr error
+
 	for i := 0; i < r.opts.Retries; i++ {
 		node, err := next()
 		if err != nil && err == selector.ErrNotFound {
@@ -161,16 +191,16 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Call(ctx context.Context, request Request, response interfac
 			address = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, node.Port)
 		}
 
-		err = r.call(ctx, address, request, response)
-		r.opts.Selector.Mark(request.Service(), node, err)
+		grr = r.call(ctx, address, request, response)
+		r.opts.Selector.Mark(request.Service(), node, grr)
 
 		// if the call succeeded lets bail early
-		if err == nil {
+		if grr == nil {
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
 
-	return err
+	return grr
 }
 
 func (r *rpcClient) StreamRemote(ctx context.Context, address string, request Request, opts ...CallOption) (Streamer, error) {
@@ -191,6 +221,7 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Stream(ctx context.Context, request Request, opts ...CallOpt
 	}
 
 	var stream Streamer
+	var grr error
 
 	for i := 0; i < r.opts.Retries; i++ {
 		node, err := next()
@@ -205,16 +236,16 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Stream(ctx context.Context, request Request, opts ...CallOpt
 			address = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", address, node.Port)
 		}
 
-		stream, err = r.stream(ctx, address, request)
-		r.opts.Selector.Mark(request.Service(), node, err)
+		stream, grr = r.stream(ctx, address, request)
+		r.opts.Selector.Mark(request.Service(), node, grr)
 
 		// bail early if succeeds
-		if err == nil {
+		if grr == nil {
 			return stream, nil
 		}
 	}
 
-	return stream, err
+	return stream, grr
 }
 
 func (r *rpcClient) Publish(ctx context.Context, p Publication, opts ...PublishOption) error {