diff --git a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/builtin/snippet/Comet.scala b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/builtin/snippet/Comet.scala
index 19991138bc..ce7654a346 100644
--- a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/builtin/snippet/Comet.scala
+++ b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/builtin/snippet/Comet.scala
@@ -72,8 +72,12 @@ object Comet extends DispatchSnippet with LazyLoggable {
                case Full(AnswerRender(response, _, when, _)) =>
                  c.buildSpan(when, response.inSpan)
                
-               case _ => 
-                 throw new CometTimeoutException("type: "+theType+" name: "+name)
+               case e =>
+                 if (c.cometRenderTimeoutHandler().isDefined) {
+                   c.cometRenderTimeoutHandler().open_!
+                 } else {
+                   throw new CometTimeoutException("type: "+theType+" name: "+name)
+                 }
              }}} openOr {
                throw new CometNotFoundException("type: "+theType+" name: "+name)
              }
diff --git a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/CometActor.scala b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/CometActor.scala
index 200686cdfc..c8fbe56261 100644
--- a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/CometActor.scala
+++ b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/CometActor.scala
@@ -403,6 +403,38 @@ trait LiftCometActor extends TypedActor[Any, Any] with ForwardableActor[Any, Any
    */
   def cometProcessingTimeout = LiftRules.cometProcessingTimeout
 
+  /**
+   * This is to react to comet-requests timing out.
+   * When the timeout specified in {@link LiftRules#cometProcessingTimeout} occurs one may override
+   * this to send a message to the user informing of the timeout.
+   * <p/><p/>
+   * Do NOT manipulate actor-state here. If you want to manipulate state, send the actor a new message.
+   * <p/><p/>
+   * Typical example would be:
+   * <pre>
+   *   override def cometTimeoutHandler(): JsCmd = {
+   *     Alert("Timeout processing comet-request, timeout is: " + cometProcessingTimeout + "ms")
+   *   }
+   * </pre>
+   */
+  def cometProcessingTimeoutHandler(): JsCmd = Noop
+
+  /**
+   * This is to react to comet-actors timing out while initial rendering, calls to render().
+   * When the timeout specified in {@link LiftRules#cometRenderTimeout} occurs one may override
+   * this to customise the output.
+   * <p/><p/>
+   * Do NOT manipulate actor-state here. If you want to manipulate state, send the actor a new message.
+   * <p/><p/>
+   * Typical example would be:
+   * <pre>
+   *   override def renderTimeoutHandler(): Box[NodeSeq] = {
+   *     Full(&lt;div&gt;Comet {this.getClass} timed out, timeout is {cometRenderTimeout}ms&lt;/div&gt;)
+   *   }
+   * </pre>
+   */
+  def cometRenderTimeoutHandler(): Box[NodeSeq] = Empty
+
   protected def initCometActor(theSession: LiftSession,
                                theType: Box[String],
                                name: Box[String],
diff --git a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/LiftSession.scala b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/LiftSession.scala
index 576a911db1..833580c99f 100644
--- a/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/LiftSession.scala
+++ b/web/webkit/src/main/scala/net/liftweb/http/LiftSession.scala
@@ -661,6 +661,7 @@ class LiftSession(private[http] val _contextPath: String, val uniqueId: String,
             a.!?(a.cometProcessingTimeout, ActionMessageSet(f.map(i => buildFunc(i)), state)) match {
               case Full(li: List[_]) => li
               case li: List[_] => li
+              case Empty => Full(a.cometProcessingTimeoutHandler())
               case other => Nil
             })
           case _ => f.map(i => buildFunc(i).apply())