diff --git a/src/qamqpclient.cpp b/src/qamqpclient.cpp
index da97f43..f98a111 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient.cpp
+++ b/src/qamqpclient.cpp
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ QAmqpClientPrivate::QAmqpClientPrivate(QAmqpClient *q)
       host(AMQP_HOST),
       virtualHost(AMQP_VHOST),
       autoReconnect(false),
+      reconnectFixedTimeout(false),
       timeout(0),
       connecting(false),
       useSsl(false),
@@ -186,11 +187,14 @@ void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_heartbeat()
 void QAmqpClientPrivate::_q_socketError(QAbstractSocket::SocketError error)
 {
     Q_Q(QAmqpClient);
-    if (timeout <= 0) {
-        timeout = 1000;
-    } else {
-        if (timeout < 120000)
-            timeout *= 5;
+    if(reconnectFixedTimeout == false)
+    {
+        if (timeout <= 0) {
+            timeout = 1000;
+        } else {
+            if (timeout < 120000)
+                timeout *= 5;
+        }
     }
 
     switch (error) {
@@ -753,10 +757,21 @@ bool QAmqpClient::autoReconnect() const
     return d->autoReconnect;
 }
 
-void QAmqpClient::setAutoReconnect(bool value)
+void QAmqpClient::setAutoReconnect(bool value, int timeout)
 {
     Q_D(QAmqpClient);
     d->autoReconnect = value;
+
+    if((value == true) && (timeout > 0))
+    {
+        d->timeout = timeout;
+        d->reconnectFixedTimeout = true;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        d->timeout = 0;
+        d->reconnectFixedTimeout = false;
+    }
 }
 
 qint16 QAmqpClient::channelMax() const
diff --git a/src/qamqpclient.h b/src/qamqpclient.h
index c6e90e4..395c2a4 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient.h
+++ b/src/qamqpclient.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ public:
     QAmqpAuthenticator *auth() const;
 
     bool autoReconnect() const;
-    void setAutoReconnect(bool value);
+    void setAutoReconnect(bool value, int timeout = 0);
 
     bool isConnected() const;
 
diff --git a/src/qamqpclient_p.h b/src/qamqpclient_p.h
index 37856d6..2de4a86 100644
--- a/src/qamqpclient_p.h
+++ b/src/qamqpclient_p.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ public:
     // Network
     QByteArray buffer;
     bool autoReconnect;
+    bool reconnectFixedTimeout;
     int timeout;
     bool connecting;
     bool useSsl;
diff --git a/tests/auto/qamqpclient/tst_qamqpclient.cpp b/tests/auto/qamqpclient/tst_qamqpclient.cpp
index ffcf8db..ebeca0f 100644
--- a/tests/auto/qamqpclient/tst_qamqpclient.cpp
+++ b/tests/auto/qamqpclient/tst_qamqpclient.cpp
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ private Q_SLOTS:
 
 public Q_SLOTS:     // temporarily disabled
     void autoReconnect();
+    void autoReconnectTimeout();
     void sslConnect();
 
 private:
@@ -142,6 +143,25 @@ void tst_QAMQPClient::autoReconnect()
     QVERIFY(waitForSignal(&client, SIGNAL(connected()), 2));
 }
 
+void tst_QAMQPClient::autoReconnectTimeout()
+{
+    // TODO: this is a fairly crude way of testing this, research
+    //       better alternatives
+
+    QAmqpClient client;
+    client.setAutoReconnect(true, 3);
+    client.connectToHost();
+    QVERIFY(waitForSignal(&client, SIGNAL(connected()), 60));
+    qDebug() <<"connected" ;
+    QProcess::execute("rabbitmqctl", QStringList() << "stop_app");
+    QVERIFY(waitForSignal(&client, SIGNAL(disconnected()), 60));
+    qDebug() <<"disconnected" ;
+    QProcess::execute("rabbitmqctl", QStringList() << "start_app");
+    QVERIFY(waitForSignal(&client, SIGNAL(connected()), 60));
+    qDebug() <<"connected" ;
+
+}
+
 void tst_QAMQPClient::tune()
 {
     QAmqpClient client;