diff --git a/src/ne_request.c b/src/ne_request.c
index 63813257..10dd3074 100644
--- a/src/ne_request.c
+++ b/src/ne_request.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_UNISTD_H
 #include <unistd.h>
 #endif
+#include <time.h>
 
 #include "ne_internal.h"
 
@@ -78,8 +79,6 @@ struct field {
     struct field *next;
 };
 
-/* Maximum number of interim responses. */
-#define MAX_INTERIM_RESPONSES (128)
 /* Maximum number of header fields per response: */
 #define MAX_HEADER_FIELDS (100)
 /* Size of hash table; 43 is the smallest prime for which the common
@@ -1016,6 +1015,10 @@ static int read_status_line(ne_request *req, ne_status *status, int retry)
     return 0;
 }
 
+#define INTERIM_TIMEOUT(sess_) \
+    (((sess_)->flags[NE_SESSFLAG_1XXTIMEOUT] && (sess_)->rdtimeout)     \
+     ? time(NULL) + (sess_)->rdtimeout : 0)
+
 /* Send the request, and read the response Status-Line. Returns:
  *   NE_RETRY   connection closed by server; persistent connection
  *		timeout
@@ -1030,7 +1033,7 @@ static int send_request(ne_request *req, const ne_buffer *request)
     ne_status *const status = &req->status;
     int sentbody = 0; /* zero until body has been sent. */
     int ret, retry; /* retry non-zero whilst the request should be retried */
-    unsigned count;
+    time_t timeout = INTERIM_TIMEOUT(sess);
     ssize_t sret;
 
     /* Send the Request-Line and headers */
@@ -1061,13 +1064,11 @@ static int send_request(ne_request *req, const ne_buffer *request)
 
     /* Loop eating interim 1xx responses; RFC 7231§6.2 says clients
      * MUST be able to parse unsolicited interim responses. */
-    for (count = 0; count < MAX_INTERIM_RESPONSES
-             && (ret = read_status_line(req, status, retry)) == NE_OK
-             && status->klass == 1; count++) {
+    while ((ret = read_status_line(req, status, retry)) == NE_OK
+           && status->klass == 1) {
         struct interim_handler *ih;
 
-	NE_DEBUG(NE_DBG_HTTP, "[req] Interim %d response %d.\n",
-                 status->code, count);
+	NE_DEBUG(NE_DBG_HTTP, "[req] Interim %d response.\n", status->code);
 	retry = 0; /* successful read() => never retry now. */
 
 	/* Discard headers with the interim response. */
@@ -1083,11 +1084,14 @@ static int send_request(ne_request *req, const ne_buffer *request)
 	    /* Send the body after receiving the first 100 Continue */
 	    if ((ret = send_request_body(req, 0)) != NE_OK) break;	    
 	    sentbody = 1;
+            /* Reset read timeout. */
+            timeout = INTERIM_TIMEOUT(sess);
 	}
-    }
-
-    if (count == MAX_INTERIM_RESPONSES) {
-        return aborted(req, _("Too many interim responses"), 0);
+        else if (sess->flags[NE_SESSFLAG_1XXTIMEOUT] && sess->rdtimeout
+                 && time(NULL) > timeout) {
+            NE_DEBUG(NE_DBG_HTTP, "[req] Timeout after %d\n", sess->rdtimeout);
+            return aborted(req, _("Timed out reading interim responses"), 0);
+        }
     }
 
     /* Per RFC 9110ẞ15.5.9 a client MAY retry an outstanding request
diff --git a/src/ne_session.c b/src/ne_session.c
index 44fa7bc9..242fc72a 100644
--- a/src/ne_session.c
+++ b/src/ne_session.c
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ ne_session *ne_session_create(const char *scheme,
 
     /* Set flags which default to on: */
     sess->flags[NE_SESSFLAG_PERSIST] = 1;
+    sess->flags[NE_SESSFLAG_1XXTIMEOUT] = 1;
 
 #ifdef NE_ENABLE_AUTO_LIBPROXY
     ne_session_system_proxy(sess, 0);
diff --git a/src/ne_session.h b/src/ne_session.h
index dce99a01..1a162dab 100644
--- a/src/ne_session.h
+++ b/src/ne_session.h
@@ -104,6 +104,10 @@ typedef enum ne_session_flag_e {
                              * to improve interoperability with
                              * SharePoint */
 
+    NE_SESSFLAG_1XXTIMEOUT, /* disable this flag to apply no overall
+                             * timeout when reading interim
+                             * responses. */
+
     NE_SESSFLAG_LAST /* enum sentinel value */
 } ne_session_flag;
 
diff --git a/test/request.c b/test/request.c
index 210180d0..f99752a7 100644
--- a/test/request.c
+++ b/test/request.c
@@ -1057,6 +1057,10 @@ static int fail_request_with_error(int with_body, server_fn fn, void *ud,
 
     CALL(new_spawn_server(forever ? 100 : 1, fn, ud, &port));
     sess = ne_session_create("http", "localhost", port);
+
+    /* Set default timeout, required by e.g. fail_excess_1xx. */
+    ne_set_read_timeout(sess, 2);
+
     req = ne_request_create(sess, "GET", "/");
 
     if (with_body) {
@@ -2267,11 +2271,12 @@ static int safe_flags(void)
     return OK;
 }
 
+/* Hit the timeout (2 seconds) for reading interim responses. */
 static int fail_excess_1xx(void)
 {
-    struct s1xx_args args = {200, 0};
+    struct s1xx_args args = {20000000, 0};
     return fail_request_with_error(0, serve_1xx, &args, 0,
-                                   "Too many interim responses");
+                                   "Timed out reading interim responses");
 }
 
 static int serve_check_reqline(ne_socket *sock, void *userdata)