diff --git a/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts b/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
index c3be33d65fb..da4457c08f1 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
@@ -62,6 +62,10 @@ export const xhrRequest: IRequestFunction = (options: IRequestOptions): TPromise
 			});
 		};
 
+		if (options.timeout) {
+			xhr.timeout = options.timeout;
+		}
+
 		xhr.send(options.data);
 		return null;
 
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
index 9a0c56e58d8..e850ea71925 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
@@ -188,7 +188,8 @@ class RemoteSearchProvider {
 				'User-Agent': 'request',
 				'Content-Type': 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
 				'api-key': endpoint.key
-			}
+			},
+			timeout: 4000
 		})
 			.then(context => {
 				if (context.res.statusCode >= 300) {