diff --git a/NmapOps.cc b/NmapOps.cc
index 20a15e2f8..22dc426ab 100644
--- a/NmapOps.cc
+++ b/NmapOps.cc
@@ -377,6 +377,7 @@ void NmapOps::Initialize() {
   scripttrace = 0;
   scriptupdatedb = 0;
   scripthelp = false;
+  scripttimeout = 0;
   chosenScripts.clear();
 #endif
   memset(&sourcesock, 0, sizeof(sourcesock));
diff --git a/NmapOps.h b/NmapOps.h
index b65481e12..16a94a083 100644
--- a/NmapOps.h
+++ b/NmapOps.h
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ class NmapOps {
   int scripttrace;
   int scriptupdatedb;
   bool scripthelp;
+  double scripttimeout;
   void chooseScripts(char* argument);
   std::vector<std::string> chosenScripts;
 #endif
diff --git a/nmap.cc b/nmap.cc
index 4f57e0609..1d8f07779 100644
--- a/nmap.cc
+++ b/nmap.cc
@@ -681,6 +681,8 @@ void parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
     {"script_args_file", required_argument, 0, 0},
     {"script-help", required_argument, 0, 0},
     {"script_help", required_argument, 0, 0},
+    {"script-timeout", required_argument, 0, 0},
+    {"script_timeout", required_argument, 0, 0},
 #endif
     {"ip_options", required_argument, 0, 0},
     {"ip-options", required_argument, 0, 0},
@@ -719,6 +721,11 @@ void parse_options(int argc, char **argv) {
       } else if (optcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "script-help") == 0) {
         o.scripthelp = true;
         o.chooseScripts(optarg);
+      } else if (optcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "script-timeout") == 0) {
+        l = tval2secs(optarg);
+        if ( l <= 0 )
+          fatal("Bogus --script-timeout argument specified");
+        o.scripttimeout = l;
       } else
 #endif
         if (optcmp(long_options[option_index].name, "max-os-tries") == 0) {
diff --git a/nse_main.cc b/nse_main.cc
index 8b973866d..1125589f7 100644
--- a/nse_main.cc
+++ b/nse_main.cc
@@ -384,6 +384,7 @@ static void open_cnse (lua_State *L)
   nseU_setsfield(L, -1, "scriptargs", o.scriptargs);
   nseU_setsfield(L, -1, "scriptargsfile", o.scriptargsfile);
   nseU_setsfield(L, -1, "NMAP_URL", NMAP_URL);
+  nseU_setnfield(L, -1, "script_timeout", o.scripttimeout);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/nse_main.lua b/nse_main.lua
index 33ed5c93f..084ff9d2e 100644
--- a/nse_main.lua
+++ b/nse_main.lua
@@ -385,10 +385,16 @@ do
   -- prerule/postrule scripts may be timed out in the future
   -- based on start time and script lifetime?
   function Thread:timed_out ()
-    if self.type == "hostrule" or self.type == "portrule" then
-      return cnse.timedOut(self.host);
+    local host_timeout, script_timeout = false, false;
+    -- checking whether user gave --script-timeout option or not
+    if cnse.script_timeout and cnse.script_timeout > 0 then
+      -- comparing script's timeout with time elapsed
+      script_timeout = cnse.script_timeout < os.difftime(os.time(), self.start_time)
     end
-    return nil;
+    if self.type == "hostrule" or self.type == "portrule" then
+      host_timeout = cnse.timedOut(self.host);
+    end
+    return script_timeout or host_timeout;
   end
 
   function Thread:start_time_out_clock ()
@@ -409,6 +415,12 @@ do
       timeouts[self.host] = timeouts[self.host] or {};
       timeouts[self.host][self.co] = true;
     end
+    -- storing script's start time so as to account for script's timeout later
+    if self.worker then
+      self.start_time = self.parent.start_time
+    else
+      self.start_time = os.time()
+    end
   end
 
   -- Remove scripts from the timeouts list and call their
@@ -474,6 +486,7 @@ do
       script = self,
       type = script_type,
       worker = false,
+      start_time = 0, --for script timeout
     };
     thread.parent = thread;
     setmetatable(thread, Thread)
@@ -490,6 +503,7 @@ do
       info = format("%s W:%s", self.id, match(tostring(co), "^thread: 0?[xX]?(.*)"));
       parent = self,
       worker = true,
+      start_time = 0,
     };
     setmetatable(thread, Worker)
     local function info ()
@@ -1175,6 +1189,10 @@ do
     args[#args+1] = cnse.scriptargs;
   end
 
+  if cnse.script_timeout and cnse.script_timeout > 0 then
+    print_debug(1, "Set script-timeout as: %d seconds", cnse.script_timeout);
+  end
+
   args = concat(args, ",");
   if #args > 0 then
     print_debug(1, "Arguments parsed: %s", args);