diff --git a/cgi.c b/cgi.c
index 7e2cc8c..71ba52d 100644
--- a/cgi.c
+++ b/cgi.c
@@ -4,6 +4,14 @@ sigchld(int sig)
     while (waitpid(0, NULL, WNOHANG) > 0);
 }
 
+void
+sigalarm_cgi(int sig)
+{
+    /* send this out regardless of whether we've already sent a header,
+     * to maybe help with debugging */
+    badrequest(504, "Gateway Timeout", "The CGI is being too slow.");
+}
+
 static void
 cgi_child(const char *relpath)
 {
@@ -165,6 +173,7 @@ serve_cgi(char *relpath)
         keepalive = 0;
 
         alarm(CGI_TIMEOUT);
+        signal(SIGALRM, sigalarm_cgi);
         cgi_parent(cin[0], cout[1], 0);
 
         exit(0);
diff --git a/eris.c b/eris.c
index 434fcb2..1b38f10 100644
--- a/eris.c
+++ b/eris.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ char *path;
 int   http_version;
 char *content_type;
 size_t content_length;
+int   header_sent;
 off_t range_start, range_end;
 time_t ims = 0;
 
@@ -143,6 +144,7 @@ dolog(int code, off_t len)
 void
 header(unsigned int code, const char *httpcomment)
 {
+    header_sent = 1;
     printf("HTTP/1.%d %u %s\r\n", http_version, code, httpcomment);
     printf("Server: " FNORD "\r\n");
     printf("Connection: %s\r\n", keepalive?"keep-alive":"close");
@@ -519,6 +521,7 @@ handle_request()
     range_end = 0;
     content_type = NULL;
     content_length = 0;
+    header_sent = 0;
 
     alarm(READTIMEOUT);
 
@@ -746,6 +749,14 @@ handle_request()
     return;
 }
 
+void
+sigalarm(int sig)
+{
+    if (! header_sent) {
+        badrequest(408, "Request Timeout", "You are being too slow.");
+    }
+}
+
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[], const char *const *envp)
 {
@@ -756,6 +767,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[], const char *const *envp)
     setbuffer(stdout, stdout_buf, sizeof stdout_buf);
 
     signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN);
+    signal(SIGALRM, sigalarm);
     get_ucspi_env();
 
     while (1) {
diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index d51c9d9..a57318d 100755
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -124,7 +124,6 @@ title "Too many headers"
  printf '\r\n') | $HTTPD 2>/dev/null | grep -q 'HTTP/1.. 431 ' && pass || fail
 
 
-
 H "If-Modified-Since"
 
 title "Has been modified"
@@ -189,6 +188,15 @@ printf 'GET /a.cgi HTTP/1.0\r\n\r\n' | $HTTPD_CGI 2>/dev/null | d | grep -Eq '%S
 title "Large response"
 printf 'GET /mongo.cgi HTTP/1.0\r\n\r\n' | $HTTPD_CGI 2>/dev/null | grep -q james && pass || fail
 
+
+
+H "Timeouts"
+
+title "Read timeout"
+(sleep 2.1; echo) | $HTTPD 2>&1 | grep -c 'HTTP/1.. 408 \|.null. 408' | grep -q 2 && pass || fail
+
+
+
 H "fnord bugs"
 
 # 1. Should return directory listing of /; instead segfaults