diff --git a/test/test_websocket.py b/test/test_websocket.py
index 96fb384..ab319bf 100644
--- a/test/test_websocket.py
+++ b/test/test_websocket.py
@@ -178,6 +178,28 @@ def test_sending_ping(self):
         m.sendall.assert_called_once_with(tm)
 
 
+    @patch("ws4py.websocket.Heartbeat")
+    def test_run(self, mocker):
+        mocked_sock = MagicMock()
+        mocked_opened = MagicMock()
+        mocked_once = MagicMock(return_value=False) # False to break the loop
+        mocked_terminate = MagicMock()
+
+        ws = WebSocket(sock=mocked_sock)
+        assert ws.sock_timeout is None
+
+        with patch.multiple(ws,
+                            opened=mocked_opened,
+                            once=mocked_once,
+                            terminate=mocked_terminate,
+                            stream=MagicMock(),
+                            ):
+            ws.run()
+            mocked_sock.settimeout.assert_called_with(None)
+            mocked_opened.assert_called()
+            mocked_once.assert_called()
+            mocked_terminate.assert_called()
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     suite = unittest.TestSuite()
     loader = unittest.TestLoader()
diff --git a/ws4py/websocket.py b/ws4py/websocket.py
index 61f8c33..7cdc5e6 100644
--- a/ws4py/websocket.py
+++ b/ws4py/websocket.py
@@ -141,6 +141,17 @@ def __init__(self, sock, protocols=None, extensions=None, environ=None, heartbea
         "Internal buffer to get around SSL problems"
         self.buf = b''
 
+        self.sock_timeout = None
+        """
+        Used to set socket.settimeout(value):
+        From: https://docs.python.org/3.11/library/socket.html#socket.socket.settimeout
+        The value argument can be a nonnegative floating point number expressing seconds, or None.
+        If a non-zero value is given, subsequent socket operations will raise a timeout exception
+        if the timeout period value has elapsed before the operation has completed.
+        If zero is given, the socket is put in non-blocking mode.
+        If None is given, the socket is put in blocking mode.
+        """
+
         self._local_address = None
         self._peer_address = None
 
@@ -515,10 +526,12 @@ def run(self):
           we initiate the closing of the connection with the
           appropiate error code.
 
-        This method is blocking and should likely be run
-        in a thread.
+        The self.sock_timeout determines whether this method
+        is blocking, or can timeout on reads. If a timeout
+        occurs, the unhandled_error function will be called
+        It should likely be run in a thread.
         """
-        self.sock.setblocking(True)
+        self.sock.settimeout(self.sock_timeout)
         with Heartbeat(self, frequency=self.heartbeat_freq):
             s = self.stream