diff --git a/CRM/Admin/Form/Setting/Miscellaneous.php b/CRM/Admin/Form/Setting/Miscellaneous.php
index 8b92a4b411f5..0e004d1e94a5 100644
--- a/CRM/Admin/Form/Setting/Miscellaneous.php
+++ b/CRM/Admin/Form/Setting/Miscellaneous.php
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class CRM_Admin_Form_Setting_Miscellaneous extends CRM_Admin_Form_Setting {
     'remote_profile_submissions' => CRM_Core_BAO_Setting::SYSTEM_PREFERENCES_NAME,
     'allow_alert_autodismissal' => CRM_Core_BAO_Setting::SYSTEM_PREFERENCES_NAME,
     'prevNextBackend' => CRM_Core_BAO_Setting::SEARCH_PREFERENCES_NAME,
+    'http_timeout' => CRM_Core_BAO_Setting::SEARCH_PREFERENCES_NAME,
   ];
 
   public $_uploadMaxSize;
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ public function preProcess() {
       'recentItemsProviders',
       'dedupe_default_limit',
       'prevNextBackend',
+      'http_timeout',
     ]);
   }
 
diff --git a/CRM/Utils/Check/Component.php b/CRM/Utils/Check/Component.php
index 9b2a02938cf7..55210b7a6c72 100644
--- a/CRM/Utils/Check/Component.php
+++ b/CRM/Utils/Check/Component.php
@@ -62,11 +62,15 @@ public function checkAll() {
    * Check if file exists on given URL.
    *
    * @param string $url
-   * @param float $timeout
+   * @param float|bool $timeout
    *
    * @return bool
    */
-  public function fileExists($url, $timeout = 0.50) {
+  public function fileExists($url, $timeout = FALSE) {
+    // Timeout past in maybe 0 in which case we should still permit it (0 is infinite).
+    if (!$timeout && $timeout !== 0) {
+      $timeout = (float) Civi::settings()->get('http_timeout');
+    }
     $fileExists = FALSE;
     try {
       $guzzleClient = new GuzzleHttp\Client();
diff --git a/settings/Core.setting.php b/settings/Core.setting.php
index 77dc4cce90ef..6f17d0214f60 100644
--- a/settings/Core.setting.php
+++ b/settings/Core.setting.php
@@ -1062,4 +1062,23 @@
     'description' => ts('Acceptable Mime Types that can be used as part of file urls'),
     'help_text' => NULL,
   ],
+  'http_timeout' => [
+    'group_name' => 'CiviCRM Preferences',
+    'group' => 'core',
+    'name' => 'http_timeout',
+    'type' => 'Integer',
+    'quick_form_type' => 'Element',
+    'html_type' => 'text',
+    'html_attributes' => [
+      'size' => 2,
+      'maxlength' => 3,
+    ],
+    'default' => 5,
+    'add' => '5.16',
+    'title' => ts('HTTP request timeout'),
+    'is_domain' => 1,
+    'is_contact' => 0,
+    'description' => ts('How long should HTTP requests through Guzzle application run for in seconds'),
+    'help_text' => ts('Set the number of seconds http requests should run for before terminating'),
+  ],
 ];