diff --git a/lib/vmpooler.rb b/lib/vmpooler.rb
index a9eb4eb..8f4a946 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler.rb
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ module Vmpooler
     parsed_config[:config]['vm_checktime'] ||= 15
     parsed_config[:config]['vm_lifetime']  ||= 24
 
+    parsed_config[:config]['check_pending_port'] ||= 22
+    parsed_config[:config]['check_pending_timeout'] ||= 5
+
     # Create an index of pool aliases
     parsed_config[:pools].each do |pool|
       if pool['alias']
diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
index eb9504f..30844dc 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 module Vmpooler
   class PoolManager
+
     def initialize(config, logger, redis, graphite=nil)
       $config = config
 
@@ -32,8 +33,8 @@ module Vmpooler
 
       if host
         begin
-          Timeout.timeout(5) do
-            TCPSocket.new vm, 22
+          Timeout.timeout($config[:config]['check_pending_timeout']) do
+            TCPSocket.new vm, $config[:config]['check_pending_port']
           end
           move_pending_vm_to_ready(vm, pool, host)
         rescue
diff --git a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
index a402bf4..2937b62 100644
--- a/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/vmpooler/pool_manager_spec.rb
@@ -36,13 +36,20 @@ describe 'Pool Manager' do
     context 'host is in pool' do
       let(:vm_finder) { double('vm_finder') }
       let(:tcpsocket) { double('TCPSocket') }
+      # port and port timeout are now configurable.
+      # update the config mock
+      let(:port_no) { 99 }
+      let(:config) { {config: {
+          'check_pending_port'    => port_no,
+          'check_pending_timeout' => 2}} }
 
       it 'calls move_pending_vm_to_ready' do
         stub_const("TCPSocket", tcpsocket)
 
         allow(pool_helper).to receive(:find_vm).and_return(vm_finder)
         allow(vm_finder).to receive(:summary).and_return(nil)
-        allow(tcpsocket).to receive(:new).and_return(true)
+        # ensure the port config made it to the TCPSocket call:
+        allow(tcpsocket).to receive(:new).with(String, port_no).and_return(true)
 
         expect(vm_finder).to receive(:summary).once
         expect(redis).not_to receive(:hget).with(String, 'clone')
@@ -50,6 +57,7 @@ describe 'Pool Manager' do
         subject._check_pending_vm(vm, pool, timeout)
       end
     end
+
   end
 
   describe '#move_vm_to_ready' do
diff --git a/vmpooler.yaml.example b/vmpooler.yaml.example
index 6e1c5d4..6c5d95c 100644
--- a/vmpooler.yaml.example
+++ b/vmpooler.yaml.example
@@ -161,6 +161,16 @@
 #
 #   - domain
 #     If set, returns a top-level 'domain' JSON key in POST requests
+#
+#   - check_pending_port
+#     The port number used to verify a host is ready and available.
+#     (optional; default: 22)
+#
+#   - check_pending_timeout
+#     How long (in seconds) to wait for connection to port before canceling.
+#     This is not used in marking a VM dead or stale.
+#     (optional; default: 5)
+#
 
 # Example:
 
@@ -176,6 +186,8 @@
     - 'created_by'
     - 'project'
   domain: 'company.com'
+  check_pending_port: 22
+  check_pending_timeout: 5
 
 # :pools:
 #