diff --git a/src/you_get/common.py b/src/you_get/common.py
index 9668df58..100f3869 100755
--- a/src/you_get/common.py
+++ b/src/you_get/common.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ import logging
 import os
 import platform
 import re
+import socket
 import sys
 import time
 from urllib import request, parse, error
@@ -308,7 +309,14 @@ def get_content(url, headers={}, decoded=True):
     if cookies:
         cookies.add_cookie_header(req)
         req.headers.update(req.unredirected_hdrs)
-    response = request.urlopen(req)
+
+    for i in range(10):
+        try:
+            response = request.urlopen(req)
+            break
+        except socket.timeout:
+            logging.debug('request attempt %s timeout' % str(i + 1))
+
     data = response.read()
 
     # Handle HTTP compression for gzip and deflate (zlib)
@@ -1063,11 +1071,12 @@ def script_main(script_name, download, download_playlist, **kwargs):
     -x | --http-proxy <HOST:PORT>       Use an HTTP proxy for downloading.
     -y | --extractor-proxy <HOST:PORT>  Use an HTTP proxy for extracting only.
          --no-proxy                     Never use a proxy.
+    -t | --timeout <SECONDS>            Set socket timeout.
     -d | --debug                        Show traceback and other debug info.
     '''
 
-    short_opts = 'Vhfiuc:ndF:O:o:p:x:y:'
-    opts = ['version', 'help', 'force', 'info', 'url', 'cookies', 'no-caption', 'no-merge', 'no-proxy', 'debug', 'json', 'format=', 'stream=', 'itag=', 'output-filename=', 'output-dir=', 'player=', 'http-proxy=', 'extractor-proxy=', 'lang=']
+    short_opts = 'Vhfiuc:ndF:O:o:p:x:y:t:'
+    opts = ['version', 'help', 'force', 'info', 'url', 'cookies', 'no-caption', 'no-merge', 'no-proxy', 'debug', 'json', 'format=', 'stream=', 'itag=', 'output-filename=', 'output-dir=', 'player=', 'http-proxy=', 'extractor-proxy=', 'lang=', 'timeout=']
     if download_playlist:
         short_opts = 'l' + short_opts
         opts = ['playlist'] + opts
@@ -1097,6 +1106,7 @@ def script_main(script_name, download, download_playlist, **kwargs):
     proxy = None
     extractor_proxy = None
     traceback = False
+    timeout = 600
     for o, a in opts:
         if o in ('-V', '--version'):
             version()
@@ -1170,6 +1180,8 @@ def script_main(script_name, download, download_playlist, **kwargs):
             extractor_proxy = a
         elif o in ('--lang',):
             lang = a
+        elif o in ('-t', '--timeout'):
+            timeout = int(a)
         else:
             log.e("try 'you-get --help' for more options")
             sys.exit(2)
@@ -1179,6 +1191,8 @@ def script_main(script_name, download, download_playlist, **kwargs):
 
     set_http_proxy(proxy)
 
+    socket.setdefaulttimeout(timeout)
+
     try:
         if stream_id:
             if not extractor_proxy: