diff --git a/src/mad/ruby/ssh_stream.rb b/src/mad/ruby/ssh_stream.rb
index 06d9aba021..453fb2c4a4 100644
--- a/src/mad/ruby/ssh_stream.rb
+++ b/src/mad/ruby/ssh_stream.rb
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@ class SshStream
     #
     #
     #
-    def initialize(host, shell="bash")
-        @host  = host
-        @shell = shell
+    def initialize(host, shell = "bash", timeout = nil)
+        @host       = host
+        @shell      = shell
+        @timeout    = timeout
     end
 
     def opened?
@@ -48,7 +49,10 @@ class SshStream
     end
 
     def open
-        @stdin, @stdout, @stderr=Open3::popen3("#{SSH_CMD} #{@host} #{@shell} -s ; echo #{SSH_RC_STR} $? 1>&2")
+        @stdin, @stdout, @stderr, @wait_thr = Open3::popen3(
+            "#{SSH_CMD} #{@host} #{@shell} -s ; echo #{SSH_RC_STR} $? 1>&2",
+            :pgroup => true
+        )
 
         @stream_out = ""
         @stream_err = ""
@@ -74,6 +78,15 @@ class SshStream
         @alive = false
     end
 
+    def kill(pid)
+        # executed processes now have its own process group to be able
+        # to kill all children
+        pgid = Process.getpgid(pid)
+
+        # Kill all processes belonging to process group
+        Process.kill("HUP", pgid * -1)
+    end
+
     def exec(command)
         return if ! @alive
 
@@ -100,48 +113,60 @@ class SshStream
     def wait_for_command
         done_out = false
         done_err = false
+        time_start = Time.now.to_i
 
         code = -1
 
         while not (done_out and done_err ) and @alive
-            rc, rw, re= IO.select([@stdout, @stderr],[],[])
+            rc, rw, re= IO.select([@stdout, @stderr],[],[], 1)
 
-            rc.each { |fd|
-                begin
-                    c = fd.read_nonblock(100)
-                    next if !c
-                rescue #rescue from EOF if ssh command finishes and closes fds
-                    next
-                end
-
-                if fd == @stdout
-                    @out << c
-                    done_out = true if @out.slice!("#{EOF_OUT}\n")
-                else
-                    @err << c
-
-                    tmp = @err.scan(/^#{SSH_RC_STR}(\d+)$/)
-
-                    if tmp[0]
-                        message = "Error connecting to #{@host}"
-                        code    = tmp[0][0].to_i
-
-                        @err << OpenNebula.format_error_message(message)
-
-                        @alive = false
-                        break
+            if rc
+                rc.each { |fd|
+                    begin
+                        c = fd.read_nonblock(100)
+                        next if !c
+                    rescue #rescue from EOF if ssh command finishes and
+                           # closes fds
+                        next
                     end
 
-                    tmp = @err.scan(/^#{RC_STR}(\d*) #{EOF_ERR}\n/)
+                    if fd == @stdout
+                        @out << c
+                        done_out = true if @out.slice!("#{EOF_OUT}\n")
+                    else
+                        @err << c
 
-                    if tmp[0]
-                        code     = tmp[0][0].to_i
-                        done_err = true
+                        tmp = @err.scan(/^#{SSH_RC_STR}(\d+)$/)
 
-                        @err.slice!(" #{EOF_ERR}\n")
+                        if tmp[0]
+                            message = "Error connecting to #{@host}"
+                            code    = tmp[0][0].to_i
+
+                            @err << OpenNebula.format_error_message(message)
+
+                            @alive = false
+                            break
+                        end
+
+                        tmp = @err.scan(/^#{RC_STR}(\d*) #{EOF_ERR}\n/)
+
+                        if tmp[0]
+                            code     = tmp[0][0].to_i
+                            done_err = true
+
+                            @err.slice!(" #{EOF_ERR}\n")
+                        end
                     end
-                end
-            }
+                }
+            end
+
+            if @timeout && Time.now.to_i - time_start > @timeout
+                @err << "\nTimeout Error"
+                self.close
+                self.kill(@wait_thr.pid)
+
+                break
+            end
         end
 
         @stream_out << @out
@@ -158,11 +183,11 @@ end
 
 
 class SshStreamCommand < RemotesCommand
-    def initialize(host, remote_dir, logger=nil, stdin=nil, shell='bash')
-        super('true', host, logger, stdin)
+    def initialize(host, remote_dir, logger=nil, stdin=nil, shell='bash', timeout=nil)
+        super('true', host, logger, stdin, timeout)
 
         @remote_dir = remote_dir
-        @stream     = SshStream.new(host, shell)
+        @stream     = SshStream.new(host, shell, timeout)
     end
 
     def run(command, stdin=nil, base_cmd = nil)