diff --git a/doc/src/guide/loop_handlers.asciidoc b/doc/src/guide/loop_handlers.asciidoc
index e5748548..2c4dcbd0 100644
--- a/doc/src/guide/loop_handlers.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/src/guide/loop_handlers.asciidoc
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ for plain HTTP handlers.
 The `init/2` function must return a `cowboy_loop` tuple to enable
 loop handler behavior. This tuple may optionally contain
 the atom `hibernate` to make the process enter hibernation
-until a message is received.
+until a message is received. Alternatively, the tuple may
+optionally contain a positive integer to make the process
+handle timeouts.
 
 This snippet enables the loop handler:
 
@@ -49,6 +51,14 @@ init(Req, State) ->
     {cowboy_loop, Req, State, hibernate}.
 ----
 
+This makes the process timeout after 1000ms of idle time:
+
+[source,erlang]
+----
+init(Req, State) ->
+    {cowboy_loop, Req, State, 1000}.
+----
+
 === Receive loop
 
 Once initialized, Cowboy will wait for messages to arrive
@@ -123,3 +133,10 @@ messages received. This is done by returning the atom
 `hibernate` as part of the `loop` tuple callbacks normally
 return. Just add the atom at the end and Cowboy will hibernate
 accordingly.
+
+=== Timeout
+
+You may activate timeout events by returning a positive integer
+`N` as part of the `loop` tuple callbacks return. The default
+value is `infinity`. The `info` callback will be called with the
+atom `timeout` unless a message is received within `N` milliseconds.
diff --git a/doc/src/manual/cowboy_loop.asciidoc b/doc/src/manual/cowboy_loop.asciidoc
index 000149dd..1812a2f3 100644
--- a/doc/src/manual/cowboy_loop.asciidoc
+++ b/doc/src/manual/cowboy_loop.asciidoc
@@ -28,11 +28,11 @@ Loop handlers implement the following interface:
 ----
 init(Req, State)
     -> {cowboy_loop, Req, State}
-     | {cowboy_loop, Req, State, hibernate}
+     | {cowboy_loop, Req, State, hibernate | timeout()}
 
 info(Info, Req, State)
     -> {ok, Req, State}
-     | {ok, Req, State, hibernate}
+     | {ok, Req, State, hibernate | timeout()}
      | {stop, Req, State}
 
 terminate(Reason, Req, State) -> ok  %% optional
diff --git a/src/cowboy_loop.erl b/src/cowboy_loop.erl
index 21eb96ef..6515b87d 100644
--- a/src/cowboy_loop.erl
+++ b/src/cowboy_loop.erl
@@ -17,12 +17,15 @@
 
 -export([upgrade/4]).
 -export([upgrade/5]).
--export([loop/4]).
+-export([loop/5]).
 
 -export([system_continue/3]).
 -export([system_terminate/4]).
 -export([system_code_change/4]).
 
+%% From gen_server.
+-define(is_timeout(X), ((X) =:= infinity orelse (is_integer(X) andalso (X) >= 0))).
+
 -callback init(Req, any())
 	-> {ok | module(), Req, any()}
 	| {module(), Req, any(), any()}
@@ -41,40 +44,46 @@
 	-> {ok, Req, Env} | {suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [any()]}
 	when Req::cowboy_req:req(), Env::cowboy_middleware:env().
 upgrade(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState) ->
-	loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState).
+	loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, infinity).
 
--spec upgrade(Req, Env, module(), any(), hibernate)
+-spec upgrade(Req, Env, module(), any(), hibernate | timeout())
 	-> {suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [any()]}
 	when Req::cowboy_req:req(), Env::cowboy_middleware:env().
 upgrade(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, hibernate) ->
-	suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState).
+	suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, infinity);
+upgrade(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout) when ?is_timeout(Timeout) ->
+	loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout).
 
--spec loop(Req, Env, module(), any())
+-spec loop(Req, Env, module(), any(), timeout())
 	-> {ok, Req, Env} | {suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [any()]}
 	when Req::cowboy_req:req(), Env::cowboy_middleware:env().
 %% @todo Handle system messages.
-loop(Req=#{pid := Parent}, Env, Handler, HandlerState) ->
+loop(Req=#{pid := Parent}, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout) ->
 	receive
 		%% System messages.
 		{'EXIT', Parent, Reason} ->
 			terminate(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Reason);
 		{system, From, Request} ->
 			sys:handle_system_msg(Request, From, Parent, ?MODULE, [],
-				{Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState});
+				{Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout});
 		%% Calls from supervisor module.
 		{'$gen_call', From, Call} ->
 			cowboy_children:handle_supervisor_call(Call, From, [], ?MODULE),
-			loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState);
+			loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout);
 		Message ->
-			call(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Message)
+			call(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout, Message)
+	after Timeout ->
+		call(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout, timeout)
 	end.
 
-call(Req0, Env, Handler, HandlerState0, Message) ->
+call(Req0, Env, Handler, HandlerState0, Timeout, Message) ->
 	try Handler:info(Message, Req0, HandlerState0) of
 		{ok, Req, HandlerState} ->
-			loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState);
+			loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout);
 		{ok, Req, HandlerState, hibernate} ->
-			suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState);
+			suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout);
+		{ok, Req, HandlerState, NewTimeout} when ?is_timeout(NewTimeout) ->
+			loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, NewTimeout);
 		{stop, Req, HandlerState} ->
 			terminate(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, stop)
 	catch Class:Reason:Stacktrace ->
@@ -82,8 +91,8 @@ call(Req0, Env, Handler, HandlerState0, Message) ->
 		erlang:raise(Class, Reason, Stacktrace)
 	end.
 
-suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState) ->
-	{suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState]}.
+suspend(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout) ->
+	{suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout]}.
 
 terminate(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Reason) ->
 	Result = cowboy_handler:terminate(Reason, Req, HandlerState, Handler),
@@ -91,15 +100,15 @@ terminate(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Reason) ->
 
 %% System callbacks.
 
--spec system_continue(_, _, {Req, Env, module(), any()})
+-spec system_continue(_, _, {Req, Env, module(), any(), timeout()})
 	-> {ok, Req, Env} | {suspend, ?MODULE, loop, [any()]}
 	when Req::cowboy_req:req(), Env::cowboy_middleware:env().
-system_continue(_, _, {Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState}) ->
-	loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState).
+system_continue(_, _, {Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout}) ->
+	loop(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Timeout).
 
--spec system_terminate(any(), _, _, {Req, Env, module(), any()})
+-spec system_terminate(any(), _, _, {Req, Env, module(), any(), timeout()})
 	-> {ok, Req, Env} when Req::cowboy_req:req(), Env::cowboy_middleware:env().
-system_terminate(Reason, _, _, {Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState}) ->
+system_terminate(Reason, _, _, {Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, _}) ->
 	terminate(Req, Env, Handler, HandlerState, Reason).
 
 -spec system_code_change(Misc, _, _, _) -> {ok, Misc}
diff --git a/test/handlers/loop_idle_timeout_h.erl b/test/handlers/loop_idle_timeout_h.erl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..842016da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/handlers/loop_idle_timeout_h.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+%% This module implements a loop handler that reads
+%% the request query for a timeout value, then sends
+%% itself a message after 1000ms. It replies a 200 when
+%% the message does not timeout and a 299 otherwise.
+
+-module(loop_idle_timeout_h).
+
+-export([init/2]).
+-export([info/3]).
+-export([terminate/3]).
+
+init(Req, _) ->
+	#{timeout := Timeout} = cowboy_req:match_qs([{timeout, int}], Req),
+	erlang:send_after(1000, self(), message),
+	{cowboy_loop, Req, 2, Timeout}.
+
+info(message, Req, State) ->
+	{stop, cowboy_req:reply(200, Req), State};
+info(timeout, Req, State) ->
+	{stop, cowboy_req:reply(<<"299 OK!">>, Req), State}.
+
+terminate(stop, _, _) ->
+	ok.
diff --git a/test/handlers/loop_new_timeout_h.erl b/test/handlers/loop_new_timeout_h.erl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b517f9ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/handlers/loop_new_timeout_h.erl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+%% This module implements a loop handler that changes
+%% the timeout value to 500ms after the first message
+%% then sends itself another message after 1000ms.
+%% It is expected to timeout, that is, reply a 299.
+
+-module(loop_new_timeout_h).
+
+-export([init/2]).
+-export([info/3]).
+-export([terminate/3]).
+
+init(Req, _) ->
+	self() ! message,
+	{cowboy_loop, Req, 2}.
+
+info(message, Req, State) ->
+	erlang:send_after(1000, self(), message),
+	{ok, Req, State, 500};
+info(timeout, Req, State) ->
+	{stop, cowboy_req:reply(<<"299 OK!">>, Req), State}.
+
+terminate(stop, _, _) ->
+	ok.
diff --git a/test/loop_handler_SUITE.erl b/test/loop_handler_SUITE.erl
index a7b53033..1eb2a8bc 100644
--- a/test/loop_handler_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/loop_handler_SUITE.erl
@@ -40,7 +40,9 @@ init_dispatch(_) ->
 	cowboy_router:compile([{'_', [
 		{"/long_polling", long_polling_h, []},
 		{"/loop_body", loop_handler_body_h, []},
-		{"/loop_timeout", loop_handler_timeout_h, []}
+		{"/loop_timeout", loop_handler_timeout_h, []},
+		{"/loop_idle", loop_idle_timeout_h, []},
+		{"/loop_idle_new", loop_new_timeout_h, []}
 	]}]).
 
 %% Tests.
@@ -82,3 +84,22 @@ request_timeout(Config) ->
 	Ref = gun:get(ConnPid, "/loop_timeout", [{<<"accept-encoding">>, <<"gzip">>}]),
 	{response, nofin, 200, _} = gun:await(ConnPid, Ref, 10000),
 	ok.
+
+idle_timeout(Config) ->
+	doc("Check idle timeout."),
+	ConnPid = gun_open(Config),
+
+	Ref = gun:get(ConnPid, "/loop_idle?timeout=2000", [{<<"accept-encoding">>, <<"gzip">>}]),
+	{response, fin, 200, _} = gun:await(ConnPid, Ref),
+
+	Ref2 = gun:get(ConnPid, "/loop_idle?timeout=500", [{<<"accept-encoding">>, <<"gzip">>}]),
+	{response, fin, 299, _} = gun:await(ConnPid, Ref2),
+
+	ok.
+
+new_timeout(Config) ->
+	doc("Check that the new timeout gets set."),
+	ConnPid = gun_open(Config),
+	Ref = gun:get(ConnPid, "/loop_idle_new", [{<<"accept-encoding">>, <<"gzip">>}]),
+	{response, fin, 299, _} = gun:await(ConnPid, Ref),
+	ok.
diff --git a/test/sys_SUITE.erl b/test/sys_SUITE.erl
index e10491a9..cd6cfa93 100644
--- a/test/sys_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/sys_SUITE.erl
@@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ sys_get_state_loop(Config) ->
 	timer:sleep(100),
 	SupPid = get_remote_pid_tcp(Socket),
 	[{_, Pid, _, _}] = supervisor:which_children(SupPid),
-	{Req, Env, long_polling_sys_h, undefined} = sys:get_state(Pid),
+	{Req, Env, long_polling_sys_h, undefined, infinity} = sys:get_state(Pid),
 	#{pid := _, streamid := _} = Req,
 	#{dispatch := _} = Env,
 	ok.
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ sys_replace_state_loop(Config) ->
 	timer:sleep(100),
 	SupPid = get_remote_pid_tcp(Socket),
 	[{_, Pid, _, _}] = supervisor:which_children(SupPid),
-	{Req, Env, long_polling_sys_h, undefined} = sys:replace_state(Pid, fun(S) -> S end),
+	{Req, Env, long_polling_sys_h, undefined, infinity} = sys:replace_state(Pid, fun(S) -> S end),
 	#{pid := _, streamid := _} = Req,
 	#{dispatch := _} = Env,
 	ok.