diff --git a/rattail/labels.py b/rattail/labels.py
index ea529cf23e7cd0a9116aa749b4032f1efd01169e..c64ad5e9f358aa50a523cef66d753e00c194c9e6 100644
--- a/rattail/labels.py
+++ b/rattail/labels.py
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ class CommandFilePrinter(CommandPrinter):
 settings = OrderedDict()
 settings['address'] = "IP Address"
 settings['port'] = "Port"
+settings['timeout'] = "Timeout"
 
 class CommandNetworkPrinter(CommandPrinter):
     """
@@ -157,6 +158,7 @@ class CommandNetworkPrinter(CommandPrinter):
     required_settings = settings
     address = None
     port = None
+    timeout = None
 
     def print_labels(self, labels, progress=None):
         """
@@ -185,12 +187,22 @@ class CommandNetworkPrinter(CommandPrinter):
         if footer:
             data.write('%s\n' % '\n'.join(footer))
 
-        # Must pass byte-strings (not unicode) to this function.
-        sock = socket.create_connection((str(self.address), str(self.port)))
-        bytes = sock.send(data.getvalue())
-        sock.close()
-        data.close()
-        return bytes
+        try:
+            timeout = int(self.timeout)
+        except ValueError:
+            timeout = socket.getdefaulttimeout()
+
+        try:
+            # Must pass byte-strings (not unicode) to this function.
+            sock = socket.create_connection((str(self.address), str(self.port)), timeout)
+        except socket.timeout:
+            raise LabelPrintingError("Can't communicate with printer.")
+        else:
+            bytes = sock.send(data.getvalue())
+            sock.close()
+            return bytes
+        finally:
+            data.close()
 
 
 class LabelFormatter(edbob.Object):