diff --git a/features.in/live/live/image-scripts.d/50-setup-network b/features.in/live/live/image-scripts.d/50-setup-network
index 9658e538..e1bc6d17 100755
--- a/features.in/live/live/image-scripts.d/50-setup-network
+++ b/features.in/live/live/image-scripts.d/50-setup-network
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ else
 		mkdir -p "$prefix"/eth0 && {
 		echo TYPE=eth
 		echo BOOTPROTO=dhcp
+		echo DHCP_TIMEOUT=3
 		} > "$prefix"/eth0/options
 	else
 		verbose "NOT configuring eth0 for DHCP"
diff --git a/features.in/net-eth/rootfs/image-scripts.d/50-net-eth b/features.in/net-eth/rootfs/image-scripts.d/50-net-eth
index 4fbe4658..f40642bd 100755
--- a/features.in/net-eth/rootfs/image-scripts.d/50-net-eth
+++ b/features.in/net-eth/rootfs/image-scripts.d/50-net-eth
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@ IFACEDIR="/etc/net/ifaces"
 write_iface() {
 	dir="$IFACEDIR/$iface"
 	mkdir -p "$dir"
+	append=
 	case "$proto" in
 	dhcp)
+		append="DHCP_TIMEOUT=3"
 		;;
 	static)
 		[ -n "$ipv4addr" ] || fatal "ipv4addr missing"
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ write_iface() {
 		echo "NM_CONTROLLED=$NMCTL"
 		echo "DISABLED=$NMCTL"
 		echo "#USE_IFPLUGD=yes"
+		[ -z "$append"] || echo "$append"
 	} > "$dir/options"
 }