diff --git a/etc/barbican/barbican-functional.conf b/etc/barbican/barbican-functional.conf
index 16afa46a4..4f9295b84 100644
--- a/etc/barbican/barbican-functional.conf
+++ b/etc/barbican/barbican-functional.conf
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ auditor_b_password=barbican
 #region_name=RegionOne
 #endpoint_type=public
 
+# use this to increase the timeout (in seconds) when debugging API calls
+#timeout=10
+
 # use this to run the functional tests against a
 # different barbican server than the one that is
 # specified in the service catalog.  To use what is
diff --git a/functionaltests/common/client.py b/functionaltests/common/client.py
index bdfb6a038..c31da5004 100644
--- a/functionaltests/common/client.py
+++ b/functionaltests/common/client.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ CONF = config.get_config()
 class BarbicanClient(object):
 
     def __init__(self, api_version='v1'):
-        self.timeout = 10
+        self.timeout = CONF.keymanager.timeout
         self.api_version = api_version
         self.default_headers = {
             'Content-Type': 'application/json',
diff --git a/functionaltests/common/config.py b/functionaltests/common/config.py
index b8cffa0d3..d6ad70c4b 100644
--- a/functionaltests/common/config.py
+++ b/functionaltests/common/config.py
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ def setup_config(config_file=''):
         cfg.StrOpt('service_name', default='barbican'),
         cfg.StrOpt('region_name', default='RegionOne'),
         cfg.StrOpt('endpoint_type', default='public'),
+        cfg.IntOpt('timeout', default=10),
         cfg.StrOpt('override_url', default=''),
         cfg.StrOpt('override_url_version', default='')
     ]