diff --git a/API.md b/API.md
index afd656c..d2fe61a 100644
--- a/API.md
+++ b/API.md
@@ -19,16 +19,18 @@ The following params are accepted:
 
 | Name | Type | Default | Description |
 | ---- | ---- | ------- | ----------- |
+| `agent` | [`Agent`](https://devdocs.io/node/http#http_class_http_agent) | | optional shared agent to [manage connection persistence](https://devdocs.io/node/http#http_class_http_agent) |
 | `body` | `Any` | | data to serialize and send as the request body |
 | `deserialize` | `Function` | [`JSON.stringify`](http://devdocs.io/javascript/global_objects/json/stringify) | function with which to deserialize the response body |
 | `headers` | `Object` | `{}` | headers to include on the request |
 | `json` | `Boolean` | `true` | if `true`, assumes [json-formatted](#json-by-default) request and response |
 | `jwt` | `String` | | [json web token](https://jwt.io/) to include in the `Authorization` header |
 | `method` | `String` | `GET` | must be a valid `http` request method |
+| `query` | `Object` | | data to serialize and append to the url as a query string |
 | `serialize` | `Function` | [`JSON.parse`](http://devdocs.io/javascript/global_objects/json/parse) | function with which to serialize the request body |
 | `stream` | `Boolean` | `false` | if `true`, the response `body` will be a [`stream.Readable`](http://devdocs.io/node/stream#stream_class_stream_readable) |
+| `timeout` | `Number` | `0` (never) | milliseconds before the [request times out](https://devdocs.io/node/http#http_request_settimeout_timeout_callback) |
 | `url` | `String` | | **required:** the `url` of the request |
-| `query` | `Object` | | data to serialize and append to the url as a query string |
 
 #### `Response` object
 
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index be6210d..a1105d3 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ const { validate } = require('@articulate/funky')
 const gimme = require('./lib/gimme')
 
 const schema = Joi.object({
+  agent:       Joi.any(),
   body:        Joi.any(),
   data:        Joi.any(), // deprecated
   deserialize: Joi.func(),
@@ -13,10 +14,11 @@ const schema = Joi.object({
   json:        Joi.boolean(),
   jwt:         Joi.string(),
   method:      Joi.string().valid(http.METHODS),
+  query:       Joi.object(),
   serialize:   Joi.func(),
   stream:      Joi.boolean(),
+  timeout:     Joi.number().integer(),
   url:         Joi.string().required(),
-  query:       Joi.object(),
 })
 
 module.exports = composeP(gimme, validate(schema))
diff --git a/lib/gimme.js b/lib/gimme.js
index af87180..e595dd5 100644
--- a/lib/gimme.js
+++ b/lib/gimme.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ const { Readable } = require('stream')
 
 const {
   assoc, assocPath, evolve, flip, identity, is,
-  merge, nthArg, pick, pipe, replace, tryCatch
+  merge, nthArg, once, pick, pipe, replace, tryCatch
 } = require('ramda')
 
 const { name }   = require('../package')
@@ -24,21 +24,25 @@ const clean = pipe(
 
 const parseJSON = tryCatch(JSON.parse, nthArg(1))
 
+const warnOnce = once(console.warn)
+
 const gimme = opts => {
   const {
     data,
     json = true
   } = opts
 
-  if (data) console.warn(chalk.yellow(`[${name}] The 'data' option is deprecated in favor of 'body'.`))
+  if (data) warnOnce(chalk.yellow(`[${name}] The 'data' option is deprecated in favor of 'body'.`))
 
   const {
+    agent,
     body        = data,
     deserialize = json ? parseJSON : identity,
     jwt,
     method      = 'GET',
     serialize   = json ? JSON.stringify : identity,
     stream      = false,
+    timeout     = 0,
   } = opts
 
   const headers = merge({}, opts.headers)
@@ -59,6 +63,7 @@ const gimme = opts => {
   const path = pathname + search
 
   const params = { auth, headers, hostname, method, path, port, protocol }
+  if (agent) params.agent = agent
 
   return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
     const respond = res => {
@@ -90,6 +95,7 @@ const gimme = opts => {
     const req = requester.request(params, respond)
 
     req.on('error', reject)
+    req.setTimeout(timeout, req.abort.bind(req))
 
     if (method !== 'GET' && body) {
       if (is(Readable, body)) {
diff --git a/test/00-setup.js b/test/00-setup.js
index 2adf1c1..a5c8855 100644
--- a/test/00-setup.js
+++ b/test/00-setup.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ beforeEach(() => {
   nock(url).get('/error').query(true).reply(400)
   nock(url).get('/no-length').query(true).reply(200, { foo: 'bar' })
   nock(url).get('/non-json-error').query(true).reply(400, 'string error')
+  nock(url).get('/timeout').query(true).socketDelay(1500).reply(200)
 })
 
 afterEach(() =>
diff --git a/test/agent.js b/test/agent.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4243059
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/agent.js
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+const { Agent }  = require('http')
+const { expect } = require('chai')
+const property   = require('prop-factory')
+
+const gimme   = require('..')
+const { url } = require('./00-setup')
+
+describe('agent', () => {
+  let agent
+  const res = property()
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    agent = new Agent({ keepAlive: true })
+    res(undefined)
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    agent.destroy()
+  })
+
+  describe('when supplied', () => {
+    beforeEach(() =>
+      gimme({ url, agent }).then(res)
+    )
+
+    it('is allowed', () => {
+      expect(res().statusCode).to.equal(200)
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/timeout.js b/test/timeout.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fadf759
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/timeout.js
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+const { expect } = require('chai')
+const property   = require('prop-factory')
+
+const gimme   = require('..')
+const { url } = require('./00-setup')
+
+describe('timeout', () => {
+  const res = property()
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    res(undefined)
+  })
+
+  describe('when not supplied', () => {
+    beforeEach(() =>
+      gimme({ url: `${url}/timeout` }).then(res)
+    )
+
+    it('defaults to 0 (no timeout)', () => {
+      expect(res().statusCode).to.equal(200)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('when supplied', () => {
+    beforeEach(() =>
+      gimme({ url: `${url}/timeout`, timeout: 250 }).catch(res)
+    )
+
+    it('applies the timeout to the socket', () => {
+      expect(res()).to.be.an('Error')
+      expect(res().code).to.equal('ECONNRESET')
+    })
+  })
+})