diff --git a/database.cc b/database.cc
index 1c8bb3aea3..0d049f2ea8 100644
--- a/database.cc
+++ b/database.cc
@@ -4605,3 +4605,8 @@ std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, gc_clock::time_point tp) {
     tmp << std::setw(12) << sec;
     return os;
 }
+
+const timeout_config infinite_timeout_config = {
+        // not really infinite, but long enough
+        1h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1h, 1h,
+};
diff --git a/timeout_config.hh b/timeout_config.hh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8144a1da95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/timeout_config.hh
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 ScyllaDB
+ *
+ */
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of Scylla.
+ *
+ * Scylla is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * Scylla is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with Scylla.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include "db/timeout_clock.hh"
+
+struct timeout_config {
+    db::timeout_clock::duration read_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration write_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration range_read_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration counter_write_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration truncate_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration cas_timeout;
+    db::timeout_clock::duration other_timeout;
+};
+
+using timeout_config_selector = db::timeout_clock::duration (timeout_config::*);
+
+extern const timeout_config infinite_timeout_config;