diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 93d06208..fd6ba845 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ Flags:
   --rtsp-port=8554       port of the RTSP TCP listener
   --rtp-port=8000        port of the RTP UDP listener
   --rtcp-port=8001       port of the RTCP UDP listener
+  --read-timeout=5s      timeout for read operations
+  --write-timeout=5s     timeout for write operations
   --publish-user=""      optional username required to publish
   --publish-pass=""      optional password required to publish
   --pre-script=""        optional script to run on client connect
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index c2a83768..ffe0c423 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -13,11 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 var Version string = "v0.0.0"
 
-const (
-	_READ_TIMEOUT  = 5 * time.Second
-	_WRITE_TIMEOUT = 5 * time.Second
-)
-
 type trackFlow int
 
 const (
@@ -50,6 +45,8 @@ type args struct {
 	rtspPort     int
 	rtpPort      int
 	rtcpPort     int
+	readTimeout  time.Duration
+	writeTimeout time.Duration
 	publishUser  string
 	publishPass  string
 	preScript    string
@@ -77,6 +74,12 @@ func newProgram(args args) (*program, error) {
 	if args.rtcpPort == 0 {
 		args.rtcpPort = 8001
 	}
+	if args.readTimeout == time.Duration(0) {
+		args.readTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+	}
+	if args.writeTimeout == time.Duration(0) {
+		args.writeTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+	}
 
 	if args.version == true {
 		fmt.Println("rtsp-simple-server " + Version)
@@ -170,6 +173,8 @@ func main() {
 	argRtspPort := kingpin.Flag("rtsp-port", "port of the RTSP TCP listener").Default("8554").Int()
 	argRtpPort := kingpin.Flag("rtp-port", "port of the RTP UDP listener").Default("8000").Int()
 	argRtcpPort := kingpin.Flag("rtcp-port", "port of the RTCP UDP listener").Default("8001").Int()
+	argReadTimeout := kingpin.Flag("read-timeout", "timeout for read operations").Default("5s").Duration()
+	argWriteTimeout := kingpin.Flag("write-timeout", "timeout for write operations").Default("5s").Duration()
 	argPublishUser := kingpin.Flag("publish-user", "optional username required to publish").Default("").String()
 	argPublishPass := kingpin.Flag("publish-pass", "optional password required to publish").Default("").String()
 	argPreScript := kingpin.Flag("pre-script", "optional script to run on client connect").Default("").String()
@@ -183,6 +188,8 @@ func main() {
 		rtspPort:     *argRtspPort,
 		rtpPort:      *argRtpPort,
 		rtcpPort:     *argRtcpPort,
+		readTimeout:  *argReadTimeout,
+		writeTimeout: *argWriteTimeout,
 		publishUser:  *argPublishUser,
 		publishPass:  *argPublishPass,
 		preScript:    *argPreScript,
diff --git a/server-client.go b/server-client.go
index 7ee3b270..85f173f7 100644
--- a/server-client.go
+++ b/server-client.go
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ func newServerClient(p *program, nconn net.Conn) *serverClient {
 		p: p,
 		conn: gortsplib.NewConnServer(gortsplib.ConnServerConf{
 			NConn:        nconn,
-			ReadTimeout:  _READ_TIMEOUT,
-			WriteTimeout: _WRITE_TIMEOUT,
+			ReadTimeout:  p.args.readTimeout,
+			WriteTimeout: p.args.writeTimeout,
 		}),
 		state: _CLIENT_STATE_STARTING,
 		write: make(chan *gortsplib.InterleavedFrame),
diff --git a/server-udpl.go b/server-udpl.go
index cd1da2c5..aaf00a60 100644
--- a/server-udpl.go
+++ b/server-udpl.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func (l *serverUdpListener) log(format string, args ...interface{}) {
 func (l *serverUdpListener) run() {
 	go func() {
 		for w := range l.write {
-			l.nconn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(_WRITE_TIMEOUT))
+			l.nconn.SetWriteDeadline(time.Now().Add(l.p.args.writeTimeout))
 			l.nconn.WriteTo(w.buf, w.addr)
 		}
 	}()