diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b32dfc4dc08..e5c2771c2ad 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -56,6 +56,15 @@ Options:
   This value may be overriden by keep-alive hints from the server.
   Default: `4e3` milliseconds (4s).
 
+- `maxIdleTimeout: Number`, the maximum allowed `idleTimeout` when overriden by
+  keep-alive hints from the server.
+  Default: `600e3` milliseconds (10min).
+
+- `keepAliveTimeoutThreshold: Number`, a number subtracted from server keep-alive hints
+  when overriding `idleTimeout` to account for timing inaccuries caused by e.g.
+  transport latency.
+  Default: `1e3` milliseconds (1s).
+
 - `requestTimeout: Number`, the timeout after which a request will time out.
   Monitors time between request being enqueued and receiving
   a response. Use `0` to disable it entirely.
diff --git a/lib/client.js b/lib/client.js
index 708e5b8274e..3ffc1d071b0 100644
--- a/lib/client.js
+++ b/lib/client.js
@@ -49,7 +49,9 @@ const {
   kEnqueue,
   kKeepAliveTimeout,
   kMaxHeadersSize,
-  kHeadersTimeout
+  kHeadersTimeout,
+  kMaxIdleTimeout,
+  kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold
 } = require('./symbols')
 const makeStream = require('./client-stream')
 const makeRequest = require('./client-request')
@@ -69,6 +71,8 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     headersTimeout,
     socketTimeout,
     idleTimeout,
+    maxIdleTimeout,
+    keepAliveTimeoutThreshold,
     socketPath,
     requestTimeout,
     pipelining,
@@ -120,6 +124,18 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
       throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid idleTimeout')
     }
 
+    if (idleTimeout != null && (!Number.isFinite(idleTimeout) || idleTimeout <= 0)) {
+      throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid idleTimeout')
+    }
+
+    if (maxIdleTimeout != null && (!Number.isFinite(maxIdleTimeout) || maxIdleTimeout <= 0)) {
+      throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid maxIdleTimeout')
+    }
+
+    if (keepAliveTimeoutThreshold != null && !Number.isFinite(keepAliveTimeoutThreshold)) {
+      throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid keepAliveTimeoutThreshold')
+    }
+
     if (requestTimeout != null && !Number.isFinite(requestTimeout)) {
       throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid requestTimeout')
     }
@@ -136,7 +152,9 @@ class Client extends EventEmitter {
     this[kUrl] = url
     this[kSocketPath] = socketPath
     this[kSocketTimeout] = socketTimeout == null ? 30e3 : socketTimeout
+    this[kMaxIdleTimeout] = maxIdleTimeout == null ? 600e3 : maxIdleTimeout
     this[kIdleTimeout] = idleTimeout == null ? 4e3 : idleTimeout
+    this[kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold] = keepAliveTimeoutThreshold == null ? 1e3 : keepAliveTimeoutThreshold
     this[kKeepAliveTimeout] = this[kIdleTimeout]
     this[kRequestTimeout] = requestTimeout == null ? 30e3 : requestTimeout
     this[kClosed] = false
@@ -494,12 +512,14 @@ class Parser extends HTTPParser {
     if (headers['keep-alive']) {
       const m = headers['keep-alive'].match(/timeout=(\d+)/)
       if (m) {
-        const timeout = Number(m[1])
-        if (!timeout) {
+        const keepAliveTimeout = Math.min(
+          Number(m[1]) * 1000 - client[kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold],
+          client[kMaxIdleTimeout]
+        )
+        if (!keepAliveTimeout || keepAliveTimeout < 1e3) {
           client[kReset] = true
         } else {
-          // Set timeout to 500ms less than hint to account for timing inaccuracies.
-          client[kKeepAliveTimeout] = timeout * 1000 - 500
+          client[kKeepAliveTimeout] = keepAliveTimeout
         }
       }
     } else {
diff --git a/lib/pool.js b/lib/pool.js
index dae4397e444..9738e47f256 100644
--- a/lib/pool.js
+++ b/lib/pool.js
@@ -12,12 +12,7 @@ const {
 class Pool {
   constructor (url, {
     connections,
-    maxAbortedPayload,
-    socketTimeout,
-    requestTimeout,
-    pipelining,
-    tls,
-    socketPath
+    ...options
   } = {}) {
     if (connections != null && (!Number.isFinite(connections) || connections <= 0)) {
       throw new InvalidArgumentError('invalid connections')
@@ -25,14 +20,7 @@ class Pool {
 
     this[kClients] = Array.from({
       length: connections || 10
-    }, () => new Client(url, {
-      maxAbortedPayload,
-      socketTimeout,
-      requestTimeout,
-      pipelining,
-      tls,
-      socketPath
-    }))
+    }, () => new Client(url, options))
   }
 
   /* istanbul ignore next: use by benchmark */
diff --git a/lib/symbols.js b/lib/symbols.js
index 7af2f914d52..70023fcdd11 100644
--- a/lib/symbols.js
+++ b/lib/symbols.js
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ module.exports = {
   kConnect: Symbol('connect'),
   kSocketTimeout: Symbol('socket timeout'),
   kIdleTimeout: Symbol('idle timeout'),
+  kMaxIdleTimeout: Symbol('max idle timeout'),
+  kKeepAliveTimeoutThreshold: Symbol('keep alive threshold'),
   kRequestTimeout: Symbol('request timeout'),
   kKeepAliveTimeout: Symbol('keep alive timeout'),
   kServerName: Symbol('server name'),