diff --git a/src/server/client.rs b/src/server/client.rs
index 699db58..cc05080 100644
--- a/src/server/client.rs
+++ b/src/server/client.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,19 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::io::{BufRead, BufReader, Read, Write};
 use std::net::TcpStream;
 use std::path::Path;
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+const STREAM_TIMEOUT: Duration = Duration::from_secs(30);
+
+fn set_stream_timeouts(stream: &TcpStream) -> Result<()> {
+    stream
+        .set_read_timeout(Some(STREAM_TIMEOUT))
+        .context("Failed to set TCP read timeout")?;
+    stream
+        .set_write_timeout(Some(STREAM_TIMEOUT))
+        .context("Failed to set TCP write timeout")?;
+    Ok(())
+}
 
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize)]
 struct SearchRequest {
@@ -69,6 +82,7 @@ impl Client {
         let host_port = self.base_url.trim_start_matches("http://");
         let mut stream = TcpStream::connect(host_port)
             .context("Failed to connect to vgrep server. Is it running? Start with: vgrep serve")?;
+        set_stream_timeouts(&stream)?;
 
         let request = format!(
             "POST /search HTTP/1.1\r\n\
@@ -117,6 +131,7 @@ impl Client {
 
         let mut stream = TcpStream::connect(host_port)
             .context("Failed to connect to vgrep server. Is it running? Start with: vgrep serve")?;
+        set_stream_timeouts(&stream)?;
 
         let http_request = format!(
             "POST /embed_batch HTTP/1.1\r\n\
@@ -160,6 +175,9 @@ impl Client {
 
         match TcpStream::connect(host_port) {
             Ok(mut stream) => {
+                if set_stream_timeouts(&stream).is_err() {
+                    return Ok(false);
+                }
                 let request = format!(
                     "GET /health HTTP/1.1\r\n\
                      Host: {}\r\n\
@@ -177,3 +195,30 @@ impl Client {
         }
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use std::net::TcpListener;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn set_stream_timeouts_sets_read_and_write_timeouts() -> Result<()> {
+        let listener = TcpListener::bind("127.0.0.1:0")?;
+        let addr = listener.local_addr()?;
+
+        let handle = std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            // Accept a single connection and keep it open briefly.
+            let _ = listener.accept();
+            std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(50));
+        });
+
+        let stream = TcpStream::connect(addr)?;
+        set_stream_timeouts(&stream)?;
+
+        assert_eq!(stream.read_timeout()?, Some(STREAM_TIMEOUT));
+        assert_eq!(stream.write_timeout()?, Some(STREAM_TIMEOUT));
+
+        handle.join().expect("listener thread panicked");
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}