diff --git a/config/default.rb b/config/default.rb
index 87cd728d1..e925c15c0 100644
--- a/config/default.rb
+++ b/config/default.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ Vagrant::Config.run do |config|
   config.ssh.host = "localhost"
   config.ssh.forwarded_port_key = "ssh"
   config.ssh.max_tries = 10
+  config.ssh.timeout = 10
 
   config.vm.box_ovf = "box.ovf"
   config.vm.base_mac = "0800279C2E42"
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/config.rb b/lib/vagrant/config.rb
index fee8047dc..1219517ea 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/config.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/config.rb
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ module Vagrant
       attr_accessor :host
       attr_accessor :forwarded_port_key
       attr_accessor :max_tries
+      attr_accessor :timeout
     end
 
     class VMConfig < Base
diff --git a/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb b/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
index d9979b2df..9da69b3f7 100644
--- a/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
+++ b/lib/vagrant/ssh.rb
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ module Vagrant
         check_thread = Thread.new do
           begin
             Thread.current[:result] = false
-            Net::SSH.start(Vagrant.config.ssh.host, Vagrant.config.ssh.username, :port => port, :password => Vagrant.config.ssh.password, :timeout => 5) do |ssh|
+            Net::SSH.start(Vagrant.config.ssh.host, Vagrant.config.ssh.username, :port => port, :password => Vagrant.config.ssh.password, :timeout => Vagrant.config.ssh.timeout) do |ssh|
               Thread.current[:result] = true
             end
           rescue Errno::ECONNREFUSED, Net::SSH::Disconnect
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ module Vagrant
           end
         end
 
-        check_thread.join(5)
+        check_thread.join(Vagrant.config.ssh.timeout)
         return check_thread[:result]
       end
 
diff --git a/test/test_helper.rb b/test/test_helper.rb
index 214c95247..cd0c028be 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.rb
+++ b/test/test_helper.rb
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ class Test::Unit::TestCase
       config.ssh.host = "baz"
       config.ssh.forwarded_port_key = "ssh"
       config.ssh.max_tries = 10
+      config.ssh.timeout = 10
 
       config.vm.box = "foo"
       config.vm.box_ovf = "box.ovf"
diff --git a/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb b/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
index a7cb2b2db..aafe07344 100644
--- a/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
+++ b/test/vagrant/ssh_test.rb
@@ -68,6 +68,14 @@ class SshTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
       assert !Vagrant::SSH.up?
     end
 
+    should "allow the thread the configured timeout time" do
+      @thread = mock("thread")
+      @thread.stubs(:[])
+      Thread.expects(:new).returns(@thread)
+      @thread.expects(:join).with(Vagrant.config.ssh.timeout).once
+      Vagrant::SSH.up?
+    end
+
     should "return false if the connection is refused" do
       Net::SSH.expects(:start).raises(Errno::ECONNREFUSED)
       assert_nothing_raised {