diff --git a/src/msg/consumer/config.go b/src/msg/consumer/config.go
index 17222a5d2a..9ef1c99620 100644
--- a/src/msg/consumer/config.go
+++ b/src/msg/consumer/config.go
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	AckBufferSize             *int                      `yaml:"ackBufferSize"`
 	ConnectionWriteBufferSize *int                      `yaml:"connectionWriteBufferSize"`
 	ConnectionReadBufferSize  *int                      `yaml:"connectionReadBufferSize"`
+	ConnectionWriteTimeout    *time.Duration            `yaml:"connectionWriteTimeout"`
 }
 
 // MessagePoolConfiguration is the message pool configuration
@@ -92,5 +93,8 @@ func (c *Configuration) NewOptions(iOpts instrument.Options) Options {
 	if c.ConnectionReadBufferSize != nil {
 		opts = opts.SetConnectionReadBufferSize(*c.ConnectionReadBufferSize)
 	}
+	if c.ConnectionWriteTimeout != nil {
+		opts = opts.SetConnectionWriteTimeout(*c.ConnectionWriteTimeout)
+	}
 	return opts
 }
diff --git a/src/msg/consumer/consumer.go b/src/msg/consumer/consumer.go
index d23a8b273b..5204ac97a3 100644
--- a/src/msg/consumer/consumer.go
+++ b/src/msg/consumer/consumer.go
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/msg/generated/proto/msgpb"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/msg/protocol/proto"
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/clock"
 	xio "github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/io"
 
 	"github.com/uber-go/tally"
@@ -125,7 +126,7 @@ func newConsumer(
 		decoder: proto.NewDecoder(
 			conn, opts.DecoderOptions(), opts.ConnectionReadBufferSize(),
 		),
-		w:      writerFn(conn, wOpts),
+		w:      writerFn(newConnWithTimeout(conn, opts.ConnectionWriteTimeout(), time.Now), wOpts),
 		conn:   conn,
 		closed: false,
 		doneCh: make(chan struct{}),
@@ -263,3 +264,25 @@ func resetProto(m *msgpb.Message) {
 	m.Metadata.Shard = 0
 	m.Value = m.Value[:0]
 }
+
+type connWithTimeout struct {
+	net.Conn
+
+	timeout time.Duration
+	nowFn   clock.NowFn
+}
+
+func newConnWithTimeout(conn net.Conn, timeout time.Duration, nowFn clock.NowFn) connWithTimeout {
+	return connWithTimeout{
+		Conn:    conn,
+		timeout: timeout,
+		nowFn:   nowFn,
+	}
+}
+
+func (conn connWithTimeout) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	if conn.timeout > 0 {
+		conn.SetWriteDeadline(conn.nowFn().Add(conn.timeout))
+	}
+	return conn.Conn.Write(p)
+}
diff --git a/src/msg/consumer/options.go b/src/msg/consumer/options.go
index f629a4c93d..ae21bd1fd7 100644
--- a/src/msg/consumer/options.go
+++ b/src/msg/consumer/options.go
@@ -33,6 +33,8 @@ var (
 	defaultAckBufferSize        = 1048576
 	defaultAckFlushInterval     = 200 * time.Millisecond
 	defaultConnectionBufferSize = 1048576
+	// TODO(ryanhall07): set this to 5s once we verify this works.
+	defaultWriteTimeout         = 0 * time.Second
 )
 
 type options struct {
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ type options struct {
 	ackBufferSize    int
 	writeBufferSize  int
 	readBufferSize   int
+	writeTimeout     time.Duration
 	iOpts            instrument.Options
 	rwOpts           xio.Options
 }
@@ -57,6 +60,7 @@ func NewOptions() Options {
 		ackBufferSize:    defaultAckBufferSize,
 		writeBufferSize:  defaultConnectionBufferSize,
 		readBufferSize:   defaultConnectionBufferSize,
+		writeTimeout:     defaultWriteTimeout,
 		iOpts:            instrument.NewOptions(),
 		rwOpts:           xio.NewOptions(),
 	}
@@ -132,6 +136,16 @@ func (opts *options) SetConnectionReadBufferSize(value int) Options {
 	return &o
 }
 
+func (opts *options) ConnectionWriteTimeout() time.Duration {
+	return opts.writeTimeout
+}
+
+func (opts *options) SetConnectionWriteTimeout(value time.Duration) Options {
+	o := *opts
+	o.writeTimeout = value
+	return &o
+}
+
 func (opts *options) InstrumentOptions() instrument.Options {
 	return opts.iOpts
 }
diff --git a/src/msg/consumer/types.go b/src/msg/consumer/types.go
index ad586d3127..5ef69d9336 100644
--- a/src/msg/consumer/types.go
+++ b/src/msg/consumer/types.go
@@ -106,6 +106,12 @@ type Options interface {
 	// SetConnectionWriteBufferSize sets the buffer size.
 	SetConnectionReadBufferSize(value int) Options
 
+	// ConnectionWriteTimeout returns the timeout for writing to the connection.
+	ConnectionWriteTimeout() time.Duration
+
+	// SetConnectionWriteTimeout sets the write timeout for the connection.
+	SetConnectionWriteTimeout(value time.Duration) Options
+
 	// InstrumentOptions returns the instrument options.
 	InstrumentOptions() instrument.Options