diff --git a/tests/samples/output/test_help_contents b/tests/samples/output/test_help_contents
index 587b7d3..d59f7ad 100644
--- a/tests/samples/output/test_help_contents
+++ b/tests/samples/output/test_help_contents
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ optional arguments:
   --logfile LOGFILE     defaults to ~/.wakatime.log
   --apiurl API_URL      heartbeats api url; for debugging with a local server
   --timeout TIMEOUT     number of seconds to wait when sending heartbeats to
-                        api
+                        api; defaults to 60 seconds
   --config CONFIG       defaults to ~/.wakatime.conf
   --verbose             turns on debug messages in log file
   --version             show program's version number and exit
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index c39f53f..a818037 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ class BaseTestCase(utils.TestCase):
         self.patched['wakatime.offlinequeue.Queue.push'].assert_not_called()
         self.patched['wakatime.offlinequeue.Queue.pop'].assert_called_once_with()
 
-        self.patched['wakatime.packages.requests.adapters.HTTPAdapter.send'].assert_called_once_with(ANY, cert=None, proxies={'https': 'localhost:1234'}, stream=False, timeout=30, verify=True)
+        self.patched['wakatime.packages.requests.adapters.HTTPAdapter.send'].assert_called_once_with(ANY, cert=None, proxies={'https': 'localhost:1234'}, stream=False, timeout=60, verify=True)
 
     def test_entity_type_domain(self):
         response = Response()
diff --git a/wakatime/main.py b/wakatime/main.py
index f8aeb58..56b55ad 100644
--- a/wakatime/main.py
+++ b/wakatime/main.py
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ def parseArguments():
     parser.add_argument('--apiurl', dest='api_url',
             help='heartbeats api url; for debugging with a local server')
     parser.add_argument('--timeout', dest='timeout', type=int,
-            help='number of seconds to wait when sending heartbeats to api')
+            help='number of seconds to wait when sending heartbeats to api; '+
+                 'defaults to 60 seconds')
     parser.add_argument('--config', dest='config',
             help='defaults to ~/.wakatime.conf')
     parser.add_argument('--verbose', dest='verbose', action='store_true',
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ def send_heartbeat(project=None, branch=None, hostname=None, stats={}, key=None,
     if not api_url:
         api_url = 'https://api.wakatime.com/api/v1/heartbeats'
     if not timeout:
-        timeout = 30
+        timeout = 60
     log.debug('Sending heartbeat to api at %s' % api_url)
     data = {
         'time': timestamp,