diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 02ec5aa..9035561 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ UCI configuration options must go in ``/etc/config/openwisp``.
 - ``test_config``: whether a new configuration must be tested before being considered applied, defaults to ``1``
 - ``test_script``: custom test script, read more about this feature in `Configuration test`_
 - ``capath``: value passed to curl ``--capath`` argument, defaults to ``/etc/ssl/certs``; see also `curl capath argument <https://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html#--capath>`_
+- ``connect_timeout``: value passed to curl ``--connect-timeout`` argument, defaults to ``15``; see `curl connect-timeout argument <https://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html#--connect-timeout>`_
+- ``max_time``: value passed to curl ``--max-time`` argument, defaults to ``30``; see `curl connect-timeout argument <https://curl.haxx.se/docs/manpage.html#-m>`_
 
 Automatic registration
 ----------------------
diff --git a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.agent b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.agent
index 69c8a96..90f0179 100644
--- a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.agent
+++ b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.agent
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ while [ -n "$1" ]; do
 		--unmanaged) export UNMANAGED="$2"; shift;;
 		--test-config) export TEST_CONFIG="$2"; shift;;
 		--test-script) export TEST_SCRIPT="$2"; shift;;
+		--connect-timeout) export CONNECT_TIMEOUT="$2"; shift;;
+		--max-time) export MAX_TIME="$2"; shift;;
 		--capath) export CAPATH="$2"; shift;;
 		-*)
 			echo "Invalid option: $1"
@@ -39,6 +41,8 @@ fi
 INTERVAL=${INTERVAL:-120}
 VERIFY_SSL=${VERIFY_SSL:-1}
 TEST_CONFIG=${TEST_CONFIG:-1}
+CONNECT_TIMEOUT=${CONNECT_TIMEOUT:-15}
+MAX_TIME=${MAX_TIME:-30}
 CAPATH=${CAPATH:-/etc/ssl/certs}
 WORKING_DIR="/tmp/openwisp"
 BASEURL="$URL/controller"
@@ -51,7 +55,7 @@ STATUS_REPORT="$WORKING_DIR/status_report"
 APPLYING_CONF="$WORKING_DIR/applying_conf"
 REGISTRATION_URL="$URL/controller/register/"
 UNMANAGED_DIR="$WORKING_DIR/unmanaged"
-FETCH_COMMAND="curl -s"
+FETCH_COMMAND="curl -s --connect-timeout $CONNECT_TIMEOUT --max-time $MAX_TIME --capath $CAPATH"
 mkdir -p $WORKING_DIR
 mkdir -p $UNMANAGED_DIR
 
@@ -59,10 +63,6 @@ if [ "$VERIFY_SSL" != "1" ]; then
 	FETCH_COMMAND="$FETCH_COMMAND -k"
 fi
 
-if [ -n "$CAPATH" ]; then
-	FETCH_COMMAND="$FETCH_COMMAND --capath $CAPATH"
-fi
-
 if [ -n "$UNMANAGED" ]; then
 	# replace commas with spaces
 	UNMANAGED=$(echo $UNMANAGED | tr ',' ' ')
diff --git a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.config b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.config
index f08c053..efde460 100644
--- a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.config
+++ b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.config
@@ -18,4 +18,7 @@ config controller 'http'
 	list unmanaged 'network.wan'
 	list unmanaged 'network.@switch'
 	list unmanaged 'network.@switch_vlan'
+	# curl options
+	#option connect_timeout '15'
+	#option max_time '30'
 	#option capath '/etc/ssl/certs'
diff --git a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.init b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.init
index 135c0c5..a219d83 100644
--- a/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.init
+++ b/openwisp-config/files/openwisp.init
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ start_service() {
 	unmanaged=$(config_get http unmanaged)
 	test_config=$(config_get http test_config)
 	test_script=$(config_get http test_script)
+	connect_timeout=$(config_get http connect_timeout)
+	max_time=$(config_get http max_time)
 	capath=$(config_get http capath)
 	if [ $url ]; then url="--url $url"; fi
 	if [ $interval ]; then interval="--interval $interval"; fi
@@ -32,6 +34,8 @@ start_service() {
 	fi
 	if [ $test_config ]; then test_config="--test-config $test_config"; fi
 	if [ $test_script ]; then test_script="--test-script $test_script"; fi
+	if [ $connect_timeout ]; then connect_timeout="--connect-timeout $connect_timeout"; fi
+	if [ $max_time ]; then max_time="--max-time $max_time"; fi
 	if [ $capath ]; then capath="--capath $capath"; fi
 
 	if [ -z "$url" ]; then
@@ -49,8 +53,9 @@ start_service() {
 	fi
 
 	procd_open_instance
-	procd_set_param command $PROG $url $interval $verify_ssl $uuid $key $capath \
-	                        $shared_secret $unmanaged $test_config $test_script
+	procd_set_param command $PROG $url $interval $verify_ssl $uuid $key \
+	                        $shared_secret $unmanaged $test_config $test_script \
+	                        $connect_timeout $max_time $capath
 	procd_set_param respawn
 	procd_close_instance
 	logger -s "$PROG_NAME started" \