diff --git a/include/MySQL_Thread.h b/include/MySQL_Thread.h
index 0699393ab..9a5ece971 100644
--- a/include/MySQL_Thread.h
+++ b/include/MySQL_Thread.h
@@ -404,6 +404,7 @@ class MySQL_Threads_Handler
 		int connect_retries_delay;
 		int connection_delay_multiplex_ms;
 		int connection_max_age_ms;
+		int connect_timeout_client;
 		int connect_timeout_server;
 		int connect_timeout_server_max;
 		int free_connections_pct;
diff --git a/include/proxysql_structs.h b/include/proxysql_structs.h
index da3a6ab39..c1ec54ae8 100644
--- a/include/proxysql_structs.h
+++ b/include/proxysql_structs.h
@@ -721,6 +721,7 @@ __thread int mysql_thread___connect_retries_on_failure;
 __thread int mysql_thread___connect_retries_delay;
 __thread int mysql_thread___connection_delay_multiplex_ms;
 __thread int mysql_thread___connection_max_age_ms;
+__thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_client;
 __thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server;
 __thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server_max;
 __thread int mysql_thread___query_processor_iterations;
@@ -867,6 +868,7 @@ extern __thread int mysql_thread___connect_retries_on_failure;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___connect_retries_delay;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___connection_delay_multiplex_ms;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___connection_max_age_ms;
+extern __thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_client;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server_max;
 extern __thread int mysql_thread___query_processor_iterations;
diff --git a/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp b/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
index b277f8095..a538cbc0a 100644
--- a/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
+++ b/lib/MySQL_Session.cpp
@@ -6147,13 +6147,17 @@ int MySQL_Session::FindOneActiveTransaction() {
 }
 
 unsigned long long MySQL_Session::IdleTime() {
-		if (client_myds==0) return 0;
-		if (status!=WAITING_CLIENT_DATA) return 0;
-		int idx=client_myds->poll_fds_idx;
-		unsigned long long last_sent=thread->mypolls.last_sent[idx];
-		unsigned long long last_recv=thread->mypolls.last_recv[idx];
-		unsigned long long last_time=(last_sent > last_recv ? last_sent : last_recv);
-    return thread->curtime - last_time;
+	unsigned long long ret = 0;
+	if (client_myds==0) return 0;
+	if (status!=WAITING_CLIENT_DATA && status!=CONNECTING_CLIENT) return 0;
+	int idx=client_myds->poll_fds_idx;
+	unsigned long long last_sent=thread->mypolls.last_sent[idx];
+	unsigned long long last_recv=thread->mypolls.last_recv[idx];
+	unsigned long long last_time=(last_sent > last_recv ? last_sent : last_recv);
+	if (thread->curtime > last_time) {
+		ret = thread->curtime - last_time;
+	}
+	return ret;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp b/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
index c3eddea2f..c40bff533 100644
--- a/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
+++ b/lib/MySQL_Thread.cpp
@@ -406,6 +406,7 @@ static char * mysql_thread_variables_names[]= {
 	(char *)"connect_retries_delay",
 	(char *)"connection_delay_multiplex_ms",
 	(char *)"connection_max_age_ms",
+	(char *)"connect_timeout_client",
 	(char *)"connect_timeout_server",
 	(char *)"connect_timeout_server_max",
 	(char *)"eventslog_filename",
@@ -989,6 +990,7 @@ MySQL_Threads_Handler::MySQL_Threads_Handler() {
 	variables.connect_retries_on_failure=10;
 	variables.connection_delay_multiplex_ms=0;
 	variables.connection_max_age_ms=0;
+	variables.connect_timeout_client=10000;
 	variables.connect_timeout_server=1000;
 	variables.connect_timeout_server_max=10000;
 	variables.free_connections_pct=10;
@@ -1397,6 +1399,7 @@ int MySQL_Threads_Handler::get_variable_int(const char *name) {
 				if (!strcmp(name,"commands_stats")) return (int)variables.commands_stats;
 				if (!strcmp(name,"connect_retries_delay")) return (int)variables.connect_retries_delay;
 				if (!strcmp(name,"connect_retries_on_failure")) return (int)variables.connect_retries_on_failure;
+				if (!strcmp(name,"connect_timeout_client")) return (int)variables.connect_timeout_client;
 				if (!strcmp(name,"connect_timeout_server")) return (int)variables.connect_timeout_server;
 				if (!strcmp(name,"connect_timeout_server_max")) return (int)variables.connect_timeout_server_max;
 				if (!strcmp(name,"connection_delay_multiplex_ms")) return (int)variables.connection_delay_multiplex_ms;
@@ -1778,6 +1781,10 @@ char * MySQL_Threads_Handler::get_variable(char *name) {	// this is the public f
 		sprintf(intbuf,"%d",variables.connection_max_age_ms);
 		return strdup(intbuf);
 	}
+	if (!strcasecmp(name,"connect_timeout_client")) {
+		sprintf(intbuf,"%d",variables.connect_timeout_client);
+		return strdup(intbuf);
+	}
 	if (!strcasecmp(name,"connect_timeout_server")) {
 		sprintf(intbuf,"%d",variables.connect_timeout_server);
 		return strdup(intbuf);
@@ -2777,6 +2784,15 @@ bool MySQL_Threads_Handler::set_variable(char *name, const char *value) {	// thi
 			return false;
 		}
 	}
+	if (!strcasecmp(name,"connect_timeout_client")) {
+		int intv=atoi(value);
+		if (intv >= 500 && intv <= 3600*1000) {
+			variables.connect_timeout_client=intv;
+			return true;
+		} else {
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
 	if (!strcasecmp(name,"connect_timeout_server")) {
 		int intv=atoi(value);
 		if (intv >= 10 && intv <= 120*1000) {
@@ -4631,6 +4647,13 @@ void MySQL_Thread::process_all_sessions() {
 				continue;
 			}
 		}
+		if (sess->status == CONNECTING_CLIENT) {
+			unsigned long long sess_time = sess->IdleTime();
+			if (sess_time/1000 > (unsigned long long)mysql_thread___connect_timeout_client) {
+				proxy_warning("Closing not established client connection %s:%d after %llums\n",sess->client_myds->addr.addr,sess->client_myds->addr.port, sess_time/1000);
+				sess->healthy = 0;
+			}
+		}
 		if (maintenance_loop) {
 			unsigned int numTrx=0;
 			unsigned long long sess_time = sess->IdleTime();
@@ -4777,6 +4800,7 @@ void MySQL_Thread::refresh_variables() {
 	mysql_thread___client_multi_statements=(bool)GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"client_multi_statements");
 	mysql_thread___connection_delay_multiplex_ms=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"connection_delay_multiplex_ms");
 	mysql_thread___connection_max_age_ms=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"connection_max_age_ms");
+	mysql_thread___connect_timeout_client=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"connect_timeout_client");
 	mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"connect_timeout_server");
 	mysql_thread___connect_timeout_server_max=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"connect_timeout_server_max");
 	mysql_thread___free_connections_pct=GloMTH->get_variable_int((char *)"free_connections_pct");