diff --git a/tutel/impls/communicate.py b/tutel/impls/communicate.py
index 51ba737..4a326f3 100644
--- a/tutel/impls/communicate.py
+++ b/tutel/impls/communicate.py
@@ -8,12 +8,15 @@
 import time
 import torch
 import logging
+import datetime
 
 from torch import Tensor
 import torch.distributed as dist
 
 from .jit_compiler import tutel_custom_kernel
 
+TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC = int(os.environ.get('TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC', 86400))
+
 def get_world_size(group=None):
     try:
         return dist.get_world_size(group)
@@ -48,13 +51,13 @@ def create_groups_from_world(group_count, include_init=None):
     try:
       if ('LOCAL_RANK' not in os.environ) and ('OMPI_COMM_WORLD_SIZE' in os.environ):
           if include_init:
-              dist.init_process_group(backend=backend,
+              dist.init_process_group(backend=backend, timeout=datetime.timedelta(seconds=TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC),
                   init_method='tcp://%s:%s' % (os.environ['MASTER_ADDR'], os.environ.get('MASTER_PORT', '23456')),
                   rank=int(os.environ['OMPI_COMM_WORLD_RANK']), world_size=int(os.environ['OMPI_COMM_WORLD_SIZE']))
           dist_local_rank = int(os.environ['OMPI_COMM_WORLD_LOCAL_RANK'])
       else:
           if include_init:
-              dist.init_process_group(backend=backend)
+              dist.init_process_group(backend=backend, timeout=datetime.timedelta(seconds=TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC))
           dist_local_rank = min(int(os.environ.get('LOCAL_RANK', 0)), torch.cuda.device_count() - 1)
       glob_world_size, glob_world_rank = dist.get_world_size(), dist.get_rank()
       is_distributed = True
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ def dist_print(*args):
             groups, inner_ranks = [], []
             for gr in range(dist_group_size):
                 group_ranks = [x for x in range(gr * dist_world_size, (gr + 1) * dist_world_size)]
-                groups += [dist.new_group(ranks=group_ranks)]
+                groups += [dist.new_group(ranks=group_ranks, timeout=datetime.timedelta(seconds=TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC))]
                 inner_ranks += [group_ranks]
             model_group = groups[dist_group_rank]
 
@@ -92,7 +95,7 @@ def dist_print(*args):
             groups, outer_ranks = [], []
             for gr in range(dist_world_size):
                 group_ranks = [x for x in range(gr, dist_world_size * dist_group_size, dist_world_size)]
-                groups += [dist.new_group(ranks=group_ranks)]
+                groups += [dist.new_group(ranks=group_ranks, timeout=datetime.timedelta(seconds=TUTEL_GLOBAL_TIMEOUT_SEC))]
                 outer_ranks += [group_ranks]
             data_group = groups[dist_world_rank]
     else: