diff --git a/include/config.h b/include/config.h
index 58598cdf1..43f8f9462 100644
--- a/include/config.h
+++ b/include/config.h
@@ -384,14 +384,6 @@
  */
 #define WRITEWAITDELAY     15	/* Recommended value: 15 */
 
-/*
- * Number of seconds to wait for a connect(2) call to complete.
- * NOTE: this must be at *LEAST* 10.  When a client connects, it has
- * CONNECTTIMEOUT - 10 seconds for its host to respond to an ident lookup
- * query and for a DNS answer to be retrieved.
- */
-#define	CONNECTTIMEOUT	30	/* Recommended value: 60 */
-
 /*
  * Max time from the nickname change that still causes KILL
  * automaticly to switch for the current nick of that user. (seconds)
diff --git a/include/dynconf.h b/include/dynconf.h
index 003a971a4..e33744c39 100644
--- a/include/dynconf.h
+++ b/include/dynconf.h
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ struct zConfiguration {
 	int nicklen;
 	int hide_list;
 	int max_unknown_connections_per_ip;
+	long handshake_timeout;
 };
 
 #ifndef DYNCONF_C
diff --git a/src/ircd.c b/src/ircd.c
index a3c5cd5ec..43fb97f14 100644
--- a/src/ircd.c
+++ b/src/ircd.c
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ EVENT(check_unknowns)
 
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(cptr, cptr2, &unknown_list, lclient_node)
 	{
-		if (cptr->local->firsttime && ((TStime() - cptr->local->firsttime) > CONNECTTIMEOUT))
+		if (cptr->local->firsttime && ((TStime() - cptr->local->firsttime) > iConf.handshake_timeout))
 		{
 			(void)exit_client(cptr, cptr, &me, "Registration Timeout");
 			continue;
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ int check_ping(aClient *cptr)
 	char scratch[64];
 	int ping = 0;
 
-	ping = cptr->local->class ? cptr->local->class->pingfreq : CONNECTTIMEOUT;
+	ping = cptr->local->class ? cptr->local->class->pingfreq : iConf.handshake_timeout;
 	Debug((DEBUG_DEBUG, "c(%s)=%d p %d a %d", cptr->name,
 		cptr->status, ping,
 		TStime() - cptr->local->lasttime));
diff --git a/src/s_conf.c b/src/s_conf.c
index b7aa7d8a3..8f5edc6a2 100644
--- a/src/s_conf.c
+++ b/src/s_conf.c
@@ -1502,6 +1502,7 @@ void config_setdefaultsettings(aConfiguration *i)
 		DISABLE_IPV6 = 1;
 	i->network.x_prefix_quit = strdup("Quit");
 	i->max_unknown_connections_per_ip = 3;
+	i->handshake_timeout = 30;
 
 	/* SSL/TLS options */
 	i->ssl_options = MyMallocEx(sizeof(SSLOptions));
@@ -7865,6 +7866,10 @@ int	_conf_set(ConfigFile *conf, ConfigEntry *ce)
 		{
 			tempiConf.max_unknown_connections_per_ip = atoi(cep->ce_vardata);
 		}
+		else if (!strcmp(cep->ce_varname, "handshake-timeout"))
+		{
+			tempiConf.handshake_timeout = config_checkval(cep->ce_vardata, CFG_TIME);
+		}
 		else
 		{
 			int value;
@@ -8774,13 +8779,24 @@ int	_test_set(ConfigFile *conf, ConfigEntry *ce)
 			int v;
 			CheckNull(cep);
 			v = atoi(cep->ce_vardata);
-			if (v <= 1)
+			if (v < 1)
 			{
 				config_error("%s:%i: set::max-unknown-connections-per-ip: value should be at least 1.",
 					cep->ce_fileptr->cf_filename, cep->ce_varlinenum);
 				errors++;
 			}
 		}
+		else if (!strcmp(cep->ce_varname, "handshake-timeout")) {
+			int v;
+			CheckNull(cep);
+			v = config_checkval(cep->ce_vardata, CFG_TIME);
+			if (v < 5)
+			{
+				config_error("%s:%i: set::handshake-timeout: value should be at least 5 seconds.",
+					cep->ce_fileptr->cf_filename, cep->ce_varlinenum);
+				errors++;
+			}
+		}
 		else
 		{
 			int used = 0;