diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
index e2340d8392ed..368f05662e3d 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.c
@@ -102,6 +102,15 @@ static void gb_connection_hd_cport_id_free(struct gb_connection *connection)
 	connection->hd_cport_id = CPORT_ID_BAD;
 }
 
+static void connection_timeout(struct work_struct *work)
+{
+	struct gb_connection *connection;
+
+	connection =
+		container_of(work, struct gb_connection, timeout_work.work);
+	printk("timeout!\n");
+}
+
 /*
  * Set up a Greybus connection, representing the bidirectional link
  * between a CPort on a (local) Greybus host device and a CPort on
@@ -143,6 +152,7 @@ struct gb_connection *gb_connection_create(struct gb_interface *interface,
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&connection->operations);
 	connection->pending = RB_ROOT;
 	atomic_set(&connection->op_cycle, 0);
+	INIT_DELAYED_WORK(&connection->timeout_work, connection_timeout);
 
 	return connection;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.h b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.h
index 685c1ffcb1ca..b5901a1b1a74 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.h
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/connection.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct gb_connection {
 	struct list_head		operations;
 	struct rb_root			pending;	/* awaiting reponse */
 	atomic_t			op_cycle;
+	struct delayed_work		timeout_work;
 
 	void				*private;
 };
diff --git a/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.c b/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.c
index da455f019e33..e70e8a3faeae 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/greybus/operation.c
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  */
 #define GB_OPERATION_TYPE_RESPONSE	0x80
 
+#define CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT	1000	/* milliseconds */
+
 /*
  * XXX This needs to be coordinated with host driver parameters
  */
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ static void gb_operation_insert(struct gb_operation *operation)
 	struct rb_node **link = &root->rb_node;
 	struct rb_node *above = NULL;
 	struct gb_operation_msg_hdr *header;
+	unsigned long timeout;
+	bool start_timer;
 	__le16 wire_id;
 
 	/*
@@ -76,6 +80,16 @@ static void gb_operation_insert(struct gb_operation *operation)
 	/* OK, insert the operation into its connection's tree */
 	spin_lock_irq(&gb_operations_lock);
 
+	/*
+	 * We impose a time limit for requests to complete.  If
+	 * there are no requests pending there is no need for a
+	 * timer.  So if this will be the only one in flight we'll
+	 * need to start the timer.  Otherwise we just update the
+	 * existing one to give this request a full timeout period
+	 * to complete.
+	 */
+	start_timer = RB_EMPTY_ROOT(root);
+
 	while (*link) {
 		struct gb_operation *other;
 
@@ -89,15 +103,31 @@ static void gb_operation_insert(struct gb_operation *operation)
 	}
 	rb_link_node(node, above, link);
 	rb_insert_color(node, root);
-
 	spin_unlock_irq(&gb_operations_lock);
+
+	timeout = msecs_to_jiffies(CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT);
+	if (start_timer)
+		schedule_delayed_work(&connection->timeout_work, timeout);
+	else
+		mod_delayed_work(system_wq, &connection->timeout_work, timeout);
 }
 
 static void gb_operation_remove(struct gb_operation *operation)
 {
+	struct gb_connection *connection = operation->connection;
+	bool last_pending;
+
 	spin_lock_irq(&gb_operations_lock);
-	rb_erase(&operation->node, &operation->connection->pending);
+	rb_erase(&operation->node, &connection->pending);
+	last_pending = RB_EMPTY_ROOT(&connection->pending);
 	spin_unlock_irq(&gb_operations_lock);
+
+	/*
+	 * If there are no more pending requests, we can stop the
+	 * timeout timer.
+	 */
+	if (last_pending)
+		cancel_delayed_work(&connection->timeout_work);
 }
 
 static struct gb_operation *