diff --git a/client/consul/check.go b/client/consul/check.go
index f068863ee..052c5c78c 100644
--- a/client/consul/check.go
+++ b/client/consul/check.go
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ type Check interface {
 	Run() *cstructs.CheckResult
 	ID() string
 	Interval() time.Duration
+	Timeout() time.Duration
 }
 
 // Returns a random stagger interval between 0 and the duration
diff --git a/client/consul/sync.go b/client/consul/sync.go
index 41cf85478..b1bc11ffa 100644
--- a/client/consul/sync.go
+++ b/client/consul/sync.go
@@ -429,6 +429,9 @@ func (c *ConsulService) consulPresent() bool {
 // runCheck runs a check and updates the corresponding ttl check in consul
 func (c *ConsulService) runCheck(check Check) {
 	res := check.Run()
+	if res.Duration >= check.Timeout() {
+		c.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] consul.sync: check took time: %v, timeout: %v", res.Duration, check.Timeout())
+	}
 	state := consul.HealthCritical
 	output := res.Output
 	switch res.ExitCode {
@@ -445,7 +448,7 @@ func (c *ConsulService) runCheck(check Check) {
 	}
 	if err := c.client.Agent().UpdateTTL(check.ID(), output, state); err != nil {
 		if c.availble {
-			c.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] error updating ttl check for check %q: %v", check.ID(), err)
+			c.logger.Printf("[DEBUG] consul.sync: error updating ttl check for check %q: %v", check.ID(), err)
 			c.availble = false
 		} else {
 			c.availble = true
diff --git a/client/driver/executor/checks.go b/client/driver/executor/checks.go
index 0d7e6eb51..9dd06e10d 100644
--- a/client/driver/executor/checks.go
+++ b/client/driver/executor/checks.go
@@ -20,20 +20,26 @@ var (
 	client       *docker.Client
 )
 
+const (
+	// The default check timeout
+	defaultCheckTimeout = 30 * time.Second
+)
+
 // DockerScriptCheck runs nagios compatible scripts in a docker container and
 // provides the check result
 type DockerScriptCheck struct {
-	id          string
-	interval    time.Duration
-	containerID string
+	id          string        // id of the check
+	interval    time.Duration // interval of the check
+	timeout     time.Duration // timeout of the check
+	containerID string        // container id in which the check will be invoked
 	logger      *log.Logger
-	cmd         string
-	args        []string
+	cmd         string   // check command
+	args        []string // check command arguments
 
-	dockerEndpoint string
-	tlsCert        string
-	tlsCa          string
-	tlsKey         string
+	dockerEndpoint string // docker endpoint
+	tlsCert        string // path to tls certificate
+	tlsCa          string // path to tls ca
+	tlsKey         string // path to tls key
 }
 
 // dockerClient creates the client to interact with the docker daemon
@@ -117,15 +123,24 @@ func (d *DockerScriptCheck) Interval() time.Duration {
 	return d.interval
 }
 
+// Timeout returns the duration after which a check is timed out.
+func (d *DockerScriptCheck) Timeout() time.Duration {
+	if d.timeout == 0 {
+		return defaultCheckTimeout
+	}
+	return d.timeout
+}
+
 // ExecScriptCheck runs a nagios compatible script and returns the check result
 type ExecScriptCheck struct {
-	id       string
-	interval time.Duration
-	cmd      string
-	args     []string
-	taskDir  string
+	id       string        // id of the script check
+	interval time.Duration // interval at which the check is invoked
+	timeout  time.Duration // timeout duration of the check
+	cmd      string        // command of the check
+	args     []string      // args passed to the check
+	taskDir  string        // the root directory of the check
 
-	FSIsolation bool
+	FSIsolation bool // indicates whether the check has to be run within a chroot
 }
 
 // Run runs an exec script check
@@ -146,6 +161,7 @@ func (e *ExecScriptCheck) Run() *cstructs.CheckResult {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case err := <-errCh:
+			endTime := time.Now()
 			if err == nil {
 				return &cstructs.CheckResult{
 					ExitCode:  0,
@@ -163,8 +179,9 @@ func (e *ExecScriptCheck) Run() *cstructs.CheckResult {
 				ExitCode:  exitCode,
 				Output:    string(buf.Bytes()),
 				Timestamp: ts,
+				Duration:  endTime.Sub(ts),
 			}
-		case <-time.After(30 * time.Second):
+		case <-time.After(e.Timeout()):
 			errCh <- fmt.Errorf("timed out after waiting 30s")
 		}
 	}
@@ -180,3 +197,11 @@ func (e *ExecScriptCheck) ID() string {
 func (e *ExecScriptCheck) Interval() time.Duration {
 	return e.interval
 }
+
+// Timeout returns the duration after which a check is timed out.
+func (e *ExecScriptCheck) Timeout() time.Duration {
+	if e.timeout == 0 {
+		return defaultCheckTimeout
+	}
+	return e.timeout
+}
diff --git a/client/driver/executor/executor.go b/client/driver/executor/executor.go
index 3f0cb3169..ce36c5e4e 100644
--- a/client/driver/executor/executor.go
+++ b/client/driver/executor/executor.go
@@ -566,6 +566,7 @@ func (e *UniversalExecutor) createCheck(check *structs.ServiceCheck, checkID str
 		return &DockerScriptCheck{
 			id:          checkID,
 			interval:    check.Interval,
+			timeout:     check.Timeout,
 			containerID: e.consulCtx.ContainerID,
 			logger:      e.logger,
 			cmd:         check.Command,
@@ -577,6 +578,7 @@ func (e *UniversalExecutor) createCheck(check *structs.ServiceCheck, checkID str
 		return &ExecScriptCheck{
 			id:          checkID,
 			interval:    check.Interval,
+			timeout:     check.Timeout,
 			cmd:         check.Command,
 			args:        check.Args,
 			taskDir:     e.taskDir,
diff --git a/client/driver/structs/structs.go b/client/driver/structs/structs.go
index ecc738e76..9059df6ec 100644
--- a/client/driver/structs/structs.go
+++ b/client/driver/structs/structs.go
@@ -68,8 +68,19 @@ func (r *RecoverableError) Error() string {
 
 // CheckResult encapsulates the result of a check
 type CheckResult struct {
-	ExitCode  int
-	Output    string
+
+	// ExitCode is the exit code of the check
+	ExitCode int
+
+	// Output is the output of the check script
+	Output string
+
+	// Timestamp is the time at which the check was executed
 	Timestamp time.Time
-	Err       error
+
+	// Duration is the time it took the check to run
+	Duration time.Duration
+
+	// Err is the error that a check returned
+	Err error
 }