diff --git a/dfssc/cmd/root.go b/dfssc/cmd/root.go
index 3fc72bd5c3c59afd0d69df8cf3ce181360efe799..06b1573c4661c300a41ede2887c0a31f4ffaecc7 100644
--- a/dfssc/cmd/root.go
+++ b/dfssc/cmd/root.go
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 package cmd
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"dfss"
 	dapi "dfss/dfssd/api"
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
@@ -39,6 +41,7 @@ func init() {
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().String("host", "localhost:9000", "host of the dfss platform")
 	RootCmd.PersistentFlags().IntP("port", "p", 9005, "port to use for P2P communication between clients")
 
+	signCmd.Flags().Duration("timeout", time.Minute, "time to wait before fallback")
 	signCmd.Flags().Duration("slowdown", 0, "delay between each promises round (test only)")
 	signCmd.Flags().Int("stopbefore", 0, "stop signature just before the promises round n, -1 to stop right before signature round (test only)")
 
diff --git a/dfssc/cmd/sign.go b/dfssc/cmd/sign.go
index f87ae1f6eb68611ddfcd3e68a4e21a88fa5ba438..bbdd5043ec412918314c4bc13d307975ca6ac9d4 100644
--- a/dfssc/cmd/sign.go
+++ b/dfssc/cmd/sign.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ var signCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
+		_ = viper.BindPFlag("timeout", cmd.Flags().Lookup("timeout"))
 		_ = viper.BindPFlag("slowdown", cmd.Flags().Lookup("slowdown"))
 		_ = viper.BindPFlag("stopbefore", cmd.Flags().Lookup("stopbefore"))
 
diff --git a/dfssc/sign/promises.go b/dfssc/sign/promises.go
index 87596987575f7d56a303beeccb8a3cbec86bc5f2..0db0aa07c39d77d2be289d49086fb2fe6d3c3e49 100644
--- a/dfssc/sign/promises.go
+++ b/dfssc/sign/promises.go
@@ -3,11 +3,11 @@ package sign
 import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
-	"time"
 
 	cAPI "dfss/dfssc/api"
 	dAPI "dfss/dfssd/api"
 	pAPI "dfss/dfssp/api"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
 )
 
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (m *SignatureManager) SendEvidence(promise *cAPI.Promise, signature *cAPI.S
 		return
 	}
 
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Minute)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), viper.GetDuration("timeout"))
 	defer cancel()
 
 	var result *pAPI.ErrorCode
diff --git a/dfssc/sign/signatures.go b/dfssc/sign/signatures.go
index c367b0f1c55f76ebf201b5ebc038ebbc8e70fffc..7594b9e44b0c39dc03759697ba7f20ab22d52f53 100644
--- a/dfssc/sign/signatures.go
+++ b/dfssc/sign/signatures.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	cAPI "dfss/dfssc/api"
 	"dfss/dfssc/common"
+	"github.com/spf13/viper"
 )
 
 // ExchangeAllSignatures creates and sends signatures to all the signers of the contract
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ func (m *SignatureManager) ReceiveAllSignatures(out chan error) {
 				m.archives.receivedSignatures = append(m.archives.receivedSignatures, signature)
 			}
 
-		case <-time.After(time.Minute):
+		case <-time.After(viper.GetDuration("timeout")):
 			out <- fmt.Errorf("Signature reception timeout!")
 			return
 		}
diff --git a/dfssc/sign/starter.go b/dfssc/sign/starter.go
index af2280410f757877579d0126d096a994b27c8234..b1685474b439962049ff44b78462c9b990684137 100644
--- a/dfssc/sign/starter.go
+++ b/dfssc/sign/starter.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync"
-	"time"
 
 	"dfss"
 	cAPI "dfss/dfssc/api"
@@ -210,7 +209,7 @@ func (m *SignatureManager) addPeer(user *pAPI.User) (ready bool, err error) {
 	// need to create another way to access it
 	m.peersConn[user.Email] = conn
 
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Minute)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), viper.GetDuration("timeout"))
 	defer cancel()
 	msg, err := client.Discover(ctx, &cAPI.Hello{Version: dfss.Version})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ func (m *SignatureManager) addPeer(user *pAPI.User) (ready bool, err error) {
 
 // SendReadySign sends the READY signal to the platform, and wait (potentially a long time) for START signal.
 func (m *SignatureManager) SendReadySign() (signatureUUID string, err error) {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*time.Minute)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 10*viper.GetDuration("timeout"))
 	defer cancel()
 
 	c := make(chan *pAPI.LaunchSignature)