diff --git a/src/accountsdb/download.zig b/src/accountsdb/download.zig
index 24a848449..4838836b2 100644
--- a/src/accountsdb/download.zig
+++ b/src/accountsdb/download.zig
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@ pub fn downloadSnapshotsFromGossip(
     output_dir: std.fs.Dir,
     min_mb_per_sec: usize,
     max_number_of_download_attempts: u64,
+    timeout: ?sig.time.Duration,
 ) !struct { std.fs.File, ?std.fs.File } {
     const logger = logger_.withScope(LOG_SCOPE);
     logger
@@ -196,6 +197,7 @@ pub fn downloadSnapshotsFromGossip(
     var slow_peer_pubkeys = std.ArrayList(Pubkey).init(allocator);
     defer slow_peer_pubkeys.deinit();
 
+    var function_duration = try std.time.Timer.start();
     var download_attempts: u64 = 0;
     while (true) {
         std.time.sleep(5 * std.time.ns_per_s); // wait while gossip table updates
@@ -205,6 +207,13 @@ pub fn downloadSnapshotsFromGossip(
             return error.UnableToDownloadSnapshot;
         }
 
+        if (timeout) |t| {
+            if (function_duration.read() > t.asNanos()) {
+                logger.err().logf("exceeded download timeout: {any}", .{t});
+                return error.UnableToDownloadSnapshot;
+            }
+        }
+
         // only hold gossip table lock for this block
         {
             const gossip_table, var gossip_table_lg = gossip_service.gossip_table_rw.readWithLock();
@@ -449,6 +458,7 @@ pub fn getOrDownloadAndUnpackSnapshot(
         min_snapshot_download_speed_mbs: usize = 20,
         trusted_validators: ?[]const Pubkey = null,
         max_number_of_download_attempts: u64 = default_adb_config.max_number_of_snapshot_download_attempts,
+        download_timeout: ?sig.time.Duration = null,
     },
 ) !struct { FullAndIncrementalManifest, SnapshotFiles } {
     const logger = logger_.withScope(LOG_SCOPE);
@@ -504,6 +514,7 @@ pub fn getOrDownloadAndUnpackSnapshot(
             snapshot_dir,
             @intCast(min_mb_per_sec),
             options.max_number_of_download_attempts,
+            options.download_timeout,
         );
         defer full.close();
         defer if (maybe_inc) |inc| inc.close();
diff --git a/src/benchmarks.zig b/src/benchmarks.zig
index b18e989e4..3c72d8c7a 100644
--- a/src/benchmarks.zig
+++ b/src/benchmarks.zig
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
                         .force_new_snapshot_download = true,
                         .max_number_of_download_attempts = 50,
                         .min_snapshot_download_speed_mbs = 10,
+                        .download_timeout = Duration.fromMinutes(5),
                     },
                 ) catch |err| {
                     switch (err) {
diff --git a/src/cmd/cmd.zig b/src/cmd/cmd.zig
index 2f4058b60..d692c0a82 100644
--- a/src/cmd/cmd.zig
+++ b/src/cmd/cmd.zig
@@ -1554,6 +1554,7 @@ fn downloadSnapshot() !void {
         snapshot_dir,
         @intCast(min_mb_per_sec),
         config.current.accounts_db.max_number_of_snapshot_download_attempts,
+        null,
     );
     defer full_file.close();
     defer if (maybe_inc_file) |inc_file| inc_file.close();
diff --git a/src/time/time.zig b/src/time/time.zig
index 4a89c46db..4594ee266 100644
--- a/src/time/time.zig
+++ b/src/time/time.zig
@@ -499,6 +499,10 @@ pub const Duration = struct {
         return .{ .ns = 0 };
     }
 
+    pub fn fromMinutes(m: u64) Duration {
+        return .{ .ns = m * std.time.ns_per_min };
+    }
+
     pub fn fromSecs(s: u64) Duration {
         return .{ .ns = s * std.time.ns_per_s };
     }