diff --git a/doc/hmdl.schema.json b/doc/hmdl.schema.json
index f98d7c2..2b3c9b4 100644
--- a/doc/hmdl.schema.json
+++ b/doc/hmdl.schema.json
@@ -547,6 +547,11 @@
 													"target"
 												]
 											},
+											"timeout": {
+												"description": "maximum allowed execution time in seconds",
+												"type": "float",
+												"default": 5.0
+											},
 											"response": {
 												"type": "object",
 												"additionalProperties": false,
diff --git a/source/logic/checks/http_request.py b/source/logic/checks/http_request.py
index 3c117d6..5225aac 100644
--- a/source/logic/checks/http_request.py
+++ b/source/logic/checks/http_request.py
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ class implementation_check_kind_http_request(interface_check_kind):
 						"target"
 					]
 				},
+				"timeout": {
+					"description": "maximum allowed execution time in seconds",
+					"type": "float",
+					"default": 5.0
+				},
 				"response": {
 					"type": "object",
 					"additionalProperties": False,
@@ -80,6 +85,7 @@ class implementation_check_kind_http_request(interface_check_kind):
 				"request": {
 					"method": "GET"
 				},
+				"timeout": 5.0,
 				"response": {
 					"status_code": 200
 				},
@@ -102,7 +108,8 @@ class implementation_check_kind_http_request(interface_check_kind):
 		if (parameters["request"]["method"] == "GET"):
 			try:
 				response = _requests.get(
-					parameters["request"]["target"]
+					parameters["request"]["target"],
+					timeout = parameters["timeout"]
 				)
 				error = None
 			except Exception as error_:
@@ -111,7 +118,8 @@ class implementation_check_kind_http_request(interface_check_kind):
 		elif (parameters["request"]["method"] == "POST"):
 			try:
 				response = _requests.post(
-					parameters["request"]["target"]
+					parameters["request"]["target"],
+					timeout = parameters["timeout"]
 				)
 				error = None
 			except Exception as error_:
diff --git a/todo.md b/todo.md
index c021620..22de17d 100644
--- a/todo.md
+++ b/todo.md
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@
 - Versionierung
 - Test-Routinen
 - neu schreiben in TypeScript (und plankton dafür nutzen)?
+- Benachrichtigungen versenden, wenn ein Zustand sich wieder normalisiert hat (aber vorher über dem Schwellwert oft nicht OK war)