diff --git a/jobmanager/jobmanager.py b/jobmanager/jobmanager.py
index 62d2f59..ff1029d 100644
--- a/jobmanager/jobmanager.py
+++ b/jobmanager/jobmanager.py
@@ -1291,7 +1291,8 @@ class JobManager_Server(object):
                  hide_progress             = False,
                  show_statistics           = True,
                  job_q_on_disk             = False,
-                 job_q_on_disk_path        = '.'):
+                 job_q_on_disk_path        = '.',
+                 timeout                   = None):
         """
         authkey [string] - authentication key used by the SyncManager. 
         Server and Client must have the same authkey.
@@ -1374,6 +1375,9 @@ class JobManager_Server(object):
 
         self.stat = None
 
+        self.timeout = timeout
+        self.start_time = datetime.now()
+
     
     @staticmethod
     def _check_bind(host, port):
@@ -1680,13 +1684,29 @@ class JobManager_Server(object):
                 failqsize = self.fail_q.qsize()
                 jobqsize = self.job_q.qsize()
                 markeditems = self.job_q.marked_items()
-                numresults.value = failqsize + markeditems 
-                info_line.value = ("result_q size:{}, jobs: remaining:{}, "+
-                                   "done:{}, failed:{}, in progress:{}").format(self.result_q.qsize(),
-                                                                                jobqsize,
-                                                                                markeditems,
-                                                                                failqsize,
-                                                                                self.numjobs.value - numresults.value - jobqsize).encode('utf-8')
+                numresults.value = failqsize + markeditems
+                if self.timeout:
+                    time_left = int(self.timeout - self.__wait_before_stop - (datetime.now() - self.start_time).total_seconds())
+                    if time_left < 0:
+                        if self.stat:
+                            self.stat.stop()
+                        log.warning("timeout ({}s) exceeded -> quit server".format(self.timeout))
+                        break
+                    info_line.value = ("result_q size:{}, jobs: remaining:{}, "+
+                                       "done:{}, failed:{}, in progress:{}, "+
+                                       "timeout in:{}s").format(self.result_q.qsize(),
+                                                                jobqsize,
+                                                                markeditems,
+                                                                failqsize,
+                                                                self.numjobs.value - numresults.value - jobqsize,
+                                                                time_left).encode('utf-8')
+                else:
+                    info_line.value = ("result_q size:{}, jobs: remaining:{}, "+
+                                       "done:{}, failed:{}, in progress:{}").format(self.result_q.qsize(),
+                                                                                    jobqsize,
+                                                                                    markeditems,
+                                                                                    failqsize,
+                                                                                    self.numjobs.value - numresults.value - jobqsize).encode('utf-8')
                 log.info("infoline {}".format(info_line.value))
                 # allows for update of the info line
                 try: