diff --git a/ironic/common/json_rpc/client.py b/ironic/common/json_rpc/client.py
index b6692d9019..e83ed1d8e9 100644
--- a/ironic/common/json_rpc/client.py
+++ b/ironic/common/json_rpc/client.py
@@ -41,11 +41,14 @@ def _get_session():
         else:
             auth = None
 
-        _SESSION = keystone.get_session('json_rpc', auth=auth)
-        _SESSION.headers = {
+        session = keystone.get_session('json_rpc', auth=auth)
+        session.headers = {
             'Content-Type': 'application/json'
         }
 
+        # Adds options like connect_retries
+        _SESSION = keystone.get_adapter('json_rpc', session=session)
+
     return _SESSION
 
 
diff --git a/ironic/conf/json_rpc.py b/ironic/conf/json_rpc.py
index f11bb457fb..1e2f848bb8 100644
--- a/ironic/conf/json_rpc.py
+++ b/ironic/conf/json_rpc.py
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ opts = [
 def register_opts(conf):
     conf.register_opts(opts, group='json_rpc')
     auth.register_auth_opts(conf, 'json_rpc')
+    conf.set_default('timeout', 15, group='json_rpc')
+    conf.set_default('connect_retries', 2, group='json_rpc')
 
 
 def list_opts():
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/json-rpc-timeout-ac30eea164b3a294.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/json-rpc-timeout-ac30eea164b3a294.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97c16cf2df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/json-rpc-timeout-ac30eea164b3a294.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes the JSON RPC backend potentially hanging on inability to connect
+    to a conductor. The default timeout is now 15 seconds and 2 retries are
+    made. These values can be adjusted via the configuration options
+    ``[json_rpc]timeout`` and ``[json_rpc]connect_retries`` accordingly.