diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5a3fb6a..5402200 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -88,4 +88,10 @@ The `exec`, `env`, `argv`, and `silent` configs are passed to the
 * `onMessage` - Method that gets called when workers send a message to
   the parent.  Called in the context of the worker, so you can reply by
   looking at `this`.
+* `stopTimeout` - Time in milliseconds to wait for worker to stop before
+  forcefully killing the process during restart or resize, default 5000
+  (5 seconds)
+* `skepticTimeout` - Time in milliseconds to wait for worker to live
+  before shutting previous worker down during restart, default 2000
+  (2 seconds)
 
diff --git a/cluster-master.js b/cluster-master.js
index 555d18c..afe5dca 100644
--- a/cluster-master.js
+++ b/cluster-master.js
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ var cluster = require("cluster")
 , net = require('net')
 , fs = require('fs')
 , util = require('util')
+, stopTimeout = 5000  // default time (ms) to wait for stop before kill
+, skepticTimeout = 2000  // default time (ms) to live before stopping old
 
 exports = module.exports = clusterMaster
 exports.restart = restart
@@ -56,6 +58,9 @@ function clusterMaster (config) {
 
   onmessage = config.onMessage || config.onmessage
 
+  if (config.stopTimeout) stopTimeout = config.stopTimeout
+  if (config.skepticTimeout) skepticTimeout = config.skepticTimeout
+
   clusterSize = config.size || os.cpus().length
 
   env = config.env
@@ -246,7 +251,7 @@ function forkListener () {
       disconnectTimer = setTimeout(function () {
         debug("Worker %j, forcefully killing", id)
         worker.process.kill("SIGKILL")
-      }, 5000)
+      }, stopTimeout)
     })
   })
 }
@@ -312,7 +317,7 @@ function restart (cb) {
             worker.disconnect()
           }
           graceful()
-        }, 2000)
+        }, skepticTimeout)
         newbie.on('exit', skeptic)
         function skeptic () {
           debug('New worker died quickly. Aborting restart.')