diff --git a/src/ngResource/resource.js b/src/ngResource/resource.js
index a0f7274e9a50..514e4c81b72b 100644
--- a/src/ngResource/resource.js
+++ b/src/ngResource/resource.js
@@ -150,8 +150,11 @@ function shallowClearAndCopy(src, dst) {
  *     GET request, otherwise if a cache instance built with
  *     {@link ng.$cacheFactory $cacheFactory}, this cache will be used for
  *     caching.
- *   - **`timeout`** – `{number|Promise}` – timeout in milliseconds, or {@link ng.$q promise} that
- *     should abort the request when resolved.
+ *   - **`timeout`** – `{number}` – timeout in milliseconds.<br />
+ *     **Note:** In contrast to {@link ng.$http#usage $http.config}, {@link ng.$q promises} are
+ *     **not** supported in $resource, because the same value would be used for multiple requests.
+ *     If you need support for cancellable $resource actions, you should upgrade to version 1.5 or
+ *     higher.
  *   - **`withCredentials`** - `{boolean}` - whether to set the `withCredentials` flag on the
  *     XHR object. See
  *     [requests with credentials](https://developer.mozilla.org/en/http_access_control#section_5)
@@ -365,7 +368,7 @@ angular.module('ngResource', ['ng']).
       }
     };
 
-    this.$get = ['$http', '$q', function($http, $q) {
+    this.$get = ['$http', '$log', '$q', function($http, $log, $q) {
 
       var noop = angular.noop,
         forEach = angular.forEach,
@@ -577,7 +580,14 @@ angular.module('ngResource', ['ng']).
                 case 'interceptor':
                   break;
                 case 'timeout':
-                  httpConfig[key] = value;
+                  if (value && !angular.isNumber(value)) {
+                    $log.debug('ngResource:\n' +
+                        '  Only numeric values are allowed as `timeout`.\n' +
+                        '  Promises are not supported in $resource, because the same value would ' +
+                        'be used for multiple requests.\n' +
+                        '  If you need support for cancellable $resource actions, you should ' +
+                        'upgrade to version 1.5 or higher.');
+                  }
                   break;
               }
             });
diff --git a/test/ngResource/resourceSpec.js b/test/ngResource/resourceSpec.js
index 2ac1454bd48b..560f71ac1f3d 100644
--- a/test/ngResource/resourceSpec.js
+++ b/test/ngResource/resourceSpec.js
@@ -1308,7 +1308,7 @@ describe("resource", function() {
 });
 
 describe('resource', function() {
-  var $httpBackend, $resource, $q;
+  var $httpBackend, $resource;
 
   beforeEach(module(function($exceptionHandlerProvider) {
     $exceptionHandlerProvider.mode('log');
@@ -1319,7 +1319,6 @@ describe('resource', function() {
   beforeEach(inject(function($injector) {
     $httpBackend = $injector.get('$httpBackend');
     $resource = $injector.get('$resource');
-    $q = $injector.get('$q');
   }));
 
 
@@ -1356,35 +1355,48 @@ describe('resource', function() {
         /^\[\$resource:badcfg\] Error in resource configuration for action `get`\. Expected response to contain an object but got an array \(Request: GET \/Customer\/123\)/
       );
   });
+});
 
-  it('should cancel the request if timeout promise is resolved', function() {
-    var canceler = $q.defer();
-
-    $httpBackend.when('GET', '/CreditCard').respond({data: '123'});
+describe('resource with promises as `timeout`', function() {
+  var httpSpy;
+  var $httpBackend;
+  var $resource;
 
-    var CreditCard = $resource('/CreditCard', {}, {
-      query: {
-        method: 'GET',
-        timeout: canceler.promise
-      }
+  beforeEach(module('ngResource', function($provide) {
+    $provide.decorator('$http', function($delegate) {
+      httpSpy = jasmine.createSpy('$http').andCallFake($delegate);
+      return httpSpy;
     });
+  }));
 
-    CreditCard.query();
-
-    canceler.resolve();
-    expect($httpBackend.flush).toThrow(new Error("No pending request to flush !"));
+  beforeEach(inject(function(_$httpBackend_, _$resource_) {
+    $httpBackend = _$httpBackend_;
+    $resource = _$resource_;
+  }));
 
-    canceler = $q.defer();
-    CreditCard = $resource('/CreditCard', {}, {
-      query: {
-        method: 'GET',
-        timeout: canceler.promise
-      }
-    });
+  it('should ignore non-numeric timeouts in actions and log a $debug message',
+    inject(function($log, $q) {
+      spyOn($log, 'debug');
+      $httpBackend.whenGET('/CreditCard').respond({});
 
-    CreditCard.query();
-    expect($httpBackend.flush).not.toThrow();
-  });
+      var CreditCard = $resource('/CreditCard', {}, {
+        get: {
+          method: 'GET',
+          timeout: $q.defer().promise
+        }
+      });
 
+      CreditCard.get();
+      $httpBackend.flush();
 
+      expect(httpSpy).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+      expect(httpSpy.calls[0].args[0].timeout).toBeUndefined();
+      expect($log.debug).toHaveBeenCalledOnceWith('ngResource:\n' +
+          '  Only numeric values are allowed as `timeout`.\n' +
+          '  Promises are not supported in $resource, because the same value would ' +
+          'be used for multiple requests.\n' +
+          '  If you need support for cancellable $resource actions, you should ' +
+          'upgrade to version 1.5 or higher.');
+    })
+  );
 });