diff --git a/brozzler/chrome.py b/brozzler/chrome.py
index 671000b..fb7c33f 100644
--- a/brozzler/chrome.py
+++ b/brozzler/chrome.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 '''
 brozzler/chrome.py - manages the chrome/chromium browser for brozzler
 
-Copyright (C) 2014-2016 Internet Archive
+Copyright (C) 2014-2020 Internet Archive
 
 Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ class Chrome:
         return cookie_db
 
     def start(self, proxy=None, cookie_db=None, disk_cache_dir=None,
-              disk_cache_size=None):
+              disk_cache_size=None, websocket_timeout=60):
         '''
         Starts chrome/chromium process.
 
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ class Chrome:
                 is inside `self._home_tmpdir` (default None).
             disk_cache_size: Forces the maximum disk space to be used by the disk
                 cache, in bytes. (default None)
+            websocket_timeout: websocket timeout, in seconds
         Returns:
             websocket url to chrome window with about:blank loaded
         '''
@@ -200,10 +201,9 @@ class Chrome:
         self._out_reader_thread.start()
         self.logger.info('chrome running, pid %s' % self.chrome_process.pid)
 
-        return self._websocket_url()
+        return self._websocket_url(timeout_sec=websocket_timeout)
 
-    def _websocket_url(self):
-        timeout_sec = 600
+    def _websocket_url(self, timeout_sec = 60):
         json_url = 'http://localhost:%s/json' % self.port
         # make this a member variable so that kill -QUIT reports it
         self._start = time.time()