diff --git a/webssh/handler.py b/webssh/handler.py
index 42aab18..87b19c6 100644
--- a/webssh/handler.py
+++ b/webssh/handler.py
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ class IndexHandler(MixinHandler, tornado.web.RequestHandler):
         logging.info('Connecting to {}:{}'.format(*dst_addr))
 
         try:
-            ssh.connect(*args, timeout=6)
+            ssh.connect(*args, timeout=options.timeout)
         except socket.error:
             raise ValueError('Unable to connect to {}:{}'.format(*dst_addr))
         except paramiko.BadAuthenticationType:
@@ -511,7 +511,8 @@ class IndexHandler(MixinHandler, tornado.web.RequestHandler):
                 clients[ip] = workers
             worker.src_addr = (ip, port)
             workers[worker.id] = worker
-            self.loop.call_later(DELAY, recycle_worker, worker)
+            self.loop.call_later(options.delay or DELAY, recycle_worker,
+                                 worker)
             self.result.update(id=worker.id, encoding=worker.encoding)
 
         self.write(self.result)
diff --git a/webssh/settings.py b/webssh/settings.py
index 2950918..bf75c2d 100644
--- a/webssh/settings.py
+++ b/webssh/settings.py
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ define('origin', default='same', help='''Origin policy,
 separated by comma;
 '*': wildcard policy, matches any domain, allowed in debug mode only.''')
 define('wpintvl', type=int, default=0, help='Websocket ping interval')
+define('timeout', type=int, default=3, help='SSH connection timeout')
+define('delay', type=int, default=0, help='The delay to call recycle_worker')
 define('maxconn', type=int, default=20,
        help='Maximum live connections (ssh sessions) per client')
 define('font', default='', help='custom font filename')