diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
index 8be6b21..a34ac1c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/ReplicationQueue.java
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
     HeadUpdatedListener {
   static final String REPLICATION_LOG_NAME = "replication_log";
   static final Logger repLog = LoggerFactory.getLogger(REPLICATION_LOG_NAME);
+  private static final int SSH_REMOTE_TIMEOUT = 120 * 1000;
   private static final ReplicationStateLogger stateLog =
       new ReplicationStateLogger(repLog);
 
@@ -413,7 +414,8 @@
   }
 
   private static RemoteSession connect(URIish uri) throws TransportException {
-    return SshSessionFactory.getInstance().getSession(uri, null, FS.DETECTED, 0);
+    return SshSessionFactory.getInstance().getSession(uri, null, FS.DETECTED,
+        SSH_REMOTE_TIMEOUT);
   }
 
   private static OutputStream newErrorBufferStream() {