diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 47986f96e..bbde60f3c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ const { GenericContainer } = require("testcontainers");
 
 const container = await new GenericContainer("redis")
   .withExposedPorts(6379)
-  .withStartupTimeout(120000)
+  .withStartupTimeout(120000) // wait 120s 
   .start();
 ```
 
diff --git a/src/generic-container/generic-container.ts b/src/generic-container/generic-container.ts
index b675c2527..f812799bf 100644
--- a/src/generic-container/generic-container.ts
+++ b/src/generic-container/generic-container.ts
@@ -317,8 +317,8 @@ export class GenericContainer implements TestContainer {
     return this;
   }
 
-  public withStartupTimeout(startupTimeout: number): this {
-    this.startupTimeout = startupTimeout;
+  public withStartupTimeout(startupTimeoutMs: number): this {
+    this.startupTimeout = startupTimeoutMs;
     return this;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/test-container.ts b/src/test-container.ts
index eaa096838..16bb1defe 100644
--- a/src/test-container.ts
+++ b/src/test-container.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ export interface TestContainer {
 
   withWaitStrategy(waitStrategy: WaitStrategy): this;
 
-  withStartupTimeout(startupTimeout: number): this;
+  withStartupTimeout(startupTimeoutMs: number): this;
 
   withNetwork(network: StartedNetwork): this;