diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 36de694..07933cb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -31,17 +31,35 @@ autossh({
 ssh -NL 64444:localhost:5432 -o "ExitOnForwardFailure yes" -o ServerAliveInterval=120 -o ServerAliveCountMax=1 root@111.22.333.444
 ```
 
+<br />
+
 #### Event Listeners
 
-Autossh inherits from node.js's EventEmitter, and implements two events: `error`, `connect`
+Autossh inherits from node.js's EventEmitter, and implements three events: `error`, `timeout`, `connect`
 
 **error**
 
-The `error` event will fire anytime there is an error throughout the life of the `autossh` process.
+The `error` event will fire anytime there is an error throughout the life of the autossh process.
+
+**timeout**
+
+Normally, a timeout would be an error, but autossh treats it as a separate event. The `timeout` event will fire anytime there is a timeout error throughout the life of the autossh process.
+
+Autossh will automatically attempt to re-establish a connection.
 
 **connect**
 
-The `connect` event will fire only once when the initial ssh connection is made
+The `connect` event will fire only once when the initial ssh connection is made. The callback's first argument is connection object which contains the following properties:
+
+- `kill` - a method to kill autossh
+- `pid` - the autossh process id
+- `host`
+- `username`
+- `remotePort`
+- `localPort`
+- `execString` - the autossh command string
+
+**Example 1**
 
 ``` javascript
 autossh({
@@ -59,6 +77,33 @@ autossh({
 });
 ```
 
+**Example 2**
+
+``` javascript
+const autosshClient = autossh({
+  host: '111.22.333.444',
+  username: 'root',
+  localPort: 64444,
+  remotePort: 5432
+});
+
+autosshClient.on('error', err => {
+  console.error('ERROR: ', err);
+  autosshClient.kill();
+});
+
+autosshClient.on('timeout', connection => {
+  console.warn('Connection to ' + connection.host + ' timed out.');
+});
+
+autosshClient.on('connect', connection => {
+  console.log('Tunnel established on port ' + connection.localPort);
+  console.log('pid: ' + connection.pid);
+});
+```
+
+<br />
+
 #### Generate Dynamic Local Port
 
 If you want to dynamically/randomly generate a port number, provide a string `auto` for the `localPort`.
@@ -80,6 +125,8 @@ autossh({
 });
 ```
 
+<br />
+
 #### Killing the Autossh Process
 
 The autossh process will automatically die if the node process is closed, but you can manually kill the process using `kill`.
@@ -117,6 +164,8 @@ autossh({
 });
 ```
 
+<br />
+
 #### Adjusting `serverAliveInterval` and `serverAliveCountMax`
 
 These two options are the bread and butter butter as far as polling the ssh connection.
@@ -148,6 +197,8 @@ autossh({
 });
 ```
 
+<br />
+
 #### Specifying the Private Key File
 
 Select a file from which the identity (private key) for public key authentication is read. The default is `~/.ssh/id_rsa`. 
@@ -171,6 +222,8 @@ autossh({
 });
 ```
 
+<br />
+
 #### Adjusting/Disabling Max Poll Count
 
 When first trying to establish the ssh tunnel, `autoshh` will poll the local port until the connection has been established. The default max poll count is `30`.
@@ -211,6 +264,8 @@ autossh({
 
 **Warning:** The max poll count is there to prevent `autossh` from infinitely polling the local port. Rather than disabling it, it may be wise to set it to a high number (e.g. `500`).
 
+<br />
+
 #### Specifying a Different SSH Port
 
 The designated port for SSH according to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is port 22, but you can specify a different port if you are using a different port. Set the `sshPort` property in the object you pass to `autossh`.
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index b5a3132..8ae77c2 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -113,13 +113,34 @@ var AutoSSH = function (_EventEmitter) {
       });
     }
 
+    /* fired when timeout error occurs
+    */
+
+  }, {
+    key: 'emitTimeout',
+    value: function emitTimeout() {
+      var _this4 = this;
+
+      this.emit('timeout', {
+        kill: function kill() {
+          return _this4.kill;
+        },
+        pid: this.currentProcess.pid,
+        host: this.host,
+        username: this.username,
+        remotePort: this.remotePort,
+        localPort: this.localPort,
+        execString: this.execString
+      });
+    }
+
     /* starts polling the port to see if connection established
     */
 
   }, {
     key: 'pollConnection',
     value: function pollConnection() {
-      var _this4 = this;
+      var _this5 = this;
 
       if (this.killed) return;
 
@@ -128,11 +149,11 @@ var AutoSSH = function (_EventEmitter) {
         this.kill();
       } else {
         this.isConnectionEstablished(function (result) {
-          if (result) _this4.emitConnect();else {
+          if (result) _this5.emitConnect();else {
             setTimeout(function () {
-              _this4.pollCount++;
-              _this4.pollConnection();
-            }, _this4.pollTimeout);
+              _this5.pollCount++;
+              _this5.pollConnection();
+            }, _this5.pollTimeout);
           }
         });
       }
@@ -144,12 +165,12 @@ var AutoSSH = function (_EventEmitter) {
   }, {
     key: 'isConnectionEstablished',
     value: function isConnectionEstablished(connEstablishedCb) {
-      var _this5 = this;
+      var _this6 = this;
 
       _portfinder2.default.getPort({ port: this.localPort }, function (portfinderErr, freePort) {
         if (portfinderErr) return connEstablishedCb(false);
 
-        if (_this5.localPort === freePort) return connEstablishedCb(false);else return connEstablishedCb(true);
+        if (_this6.localPort === freePort) return connEstablishedCb(false);else return connEstablishedCb(true);
       });
     }
 
@@ -247,21 +268,23 @@ var AutoSSH = function (_EventEmitter) {
   }, {
     key: 'execTunnel',
     value: function execTunnel(execTunnelCb) {
-      var _this6 = this;
+      var _this7 = this;
 
       this.execString = this.generateExecString();
       this.currentProcess = (0, _child_process.exec)(this.execString, function (execErr, stdout, stderr) {
-        if (_this6.killed) return;
+        if (_this7.killed) return;
 
         if (/Address already in use/i.test(stderr)) {
-          _this6.kill();
-          _this6.emit('error', stderr);
+          _this7.kill();
+          _this7.emit('error', stderr);
           return;
         }
 
-        if (execErr) _this6.emit('error', execErr);
+        if (execErr) {
+          if (/(timeout)|(timed out)/i.test(stderr)) _this7.emitTimeout();else _this7.emit('error', execErr);
+        }
 
-        if (!_this6.killed) _this6.execTunnel(function () {
+        if (!_this7.killed) _this7.execTunnel(function () {
           return console.log('Restarting autossh...');
         });
       });
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 859cdbe..82b84b2 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -77,6 +77,20 @@ class AutoSSH extends EventEmitter {
       execString: this.execString
     });
   }
+  
+  /* fired when timeout error occurs
+  */
+  emitTimeout() {
+    this.emit('timeout', {
+      kill: () => this.kill,
+      pid: this.currentProcess.pid,
+      host: this.host,
+      username: this.username,
+      remotePort: this.remotePort,
+      localPort: this.localPort,
+      execString: this.execString
+    });
+  }
 
   /* starts polling the port to see if connection established
   */
@@ -217,8 +231,12 @@ class AutoSSH extends EventEmitter {
         return;
       }
 
-      if (execErr)
-        this.emit('error', execErr);
+      if (execErr) {
+        if ((/(timeout)|(timed out)/i).test(stderr))
+          this.emitTimeout();
+        else
+          this.emit('error', execErr);
+      }
 
       if (!this.killed)
         this.execTunnel(() => console.log('Restarting autossh...'));