diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b1d10604..985a7beb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -278,6 +278,7 @@ In brief:
 - `N_MAX_REMOTE_MATCHES` to change the default `ls-remote` maximum of 20 matching versions
 - `N_PRESERVE_NPM`: See [Preserving npm](#preserving-npm)
 - `N_PRESERVE_COREPACK`: See [Preserving npm](#preserving-npm)
+- `N_CURL_MAX_TIMEOUT`: See curl **--max-time**
 
 ## How It Works
 
diff --git a/bin/n b/bin/n
index 2a877c45..868feeb5 100755
--- a/bin/n
+++ b/bin/n
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 # log <type> <msg>
 #
 
+
 log() {
   printf "  ${SGR_CYAN}%10s${SGR_RESET} : ${SGR_FAINT}%s${SGR_RESET}\n" "$1" "$2"
 }
@@ -80,6 +81,9 @@ N_NODE_DOWNLOAD_MIRROR=${N_NODE_DOWNLOAD_MIRROR:-https://nodejs.org/download}
 N_NODE_DOWNLOAD_MIRROR=${N_NODE_DOWNLOAD_MIRROR%/}
 readonly N_NODE_DOWNLOAD_MIRROR
 
+N_CURL_MAX_TIMEOUT=${N_CURL_MAX_TIMEOUT:-5}
+readonly N_CURL_MAX_TIMEOUT
+
 # Using xz instead of gzip is enabled by default, if xz compatibility checks pass.
 # User may set N_USE_XZ to 0 to disable, or set to anything else to enable.
 # May also be overridden by command line flags.
@@ -105,7 +109,7 @@ GET_SHOWS_PROGRESS="false"
 # --location to follow redirects
 # --fail to avoid happily downloading error page from web server for 404 et al
 # --show-error to show why failed (on stderr)
-CURL_OPTIONS=( "--location" "--fail" "--show-error" )
+CURL_OPTIONS=( "--location" "--fail" "--show-error" "--max-time" "$N_CURL_MAX_TIMEOUT" )
 if [[ -t 1 ]]; then
   CURL_OPTIONS+=( "--progress-bar" )
   command -v curl &> /dev/null && GET_SHOWS_PROGRESS="true"