diff --git a/guix/build/download.scm b/guix/build/download.scm
index a65c7b9964..90de269f9b 100644
--- a/guix/build/download.scm
+++ b/guix/build/download.scm
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ (define* (ftp-fetch uri file #:key timeout)
                  (_ (ftp-open (uri-host uri) #:timeout timeout))))
          (size (false-if-exception (ftp-size conn (uri-path uri))))
          (in   (ftp-retr conn (basename (uri-path uri))
-                         (dirname (uri-path uri)))))
+                         (dirname (uri-path uri))
+                         #:timeout timeout)))
     (call-with-output-file file
       (lambda (out)
         (dump-port* in out
diff --git a/guix/ftp-client.scm b/guix/ftp-client.scm
index 054a00ad7f..0b8f61c276 100644
--- a/guix/ftp-client.scm
+++ b/guix/ftp-client.scm
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ;;; GNU Guix --- Functional package management for GNU
-;;; Copyright © 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
+;;; Copyright © 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org>
 ;;;
 ;;; This file is part of GNU Guix.
 ;;;
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ (define (address-with-port sa port)
                                 (sockaddr:scopeid sa)))
           (else #f))))
 
-(define* (ftp-list conn #:optional directory)
+(define* (ftp-list conn #:optional directory #:key timeout)
   (if directory
       (ftp-chdir conn directory))
 
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ (define* (ftp-list conn #:optional directory)
          (ai   (ftp-connection-addrinfo conn))
          (s    (socket (addrinfo:fam ai) (addrinfo:socktype ai)
                        (addrinfo:protocol ai))))
-    (connect s (address-with-port (addrinfo:addr ai) port))
+    (connect* s (address-with-port (addrinfo:addr ai) port) timeout)
     (setvbuf s _IOLBF)
 
     (dynamic-wind
@@ -270,7 +270,8 @@ (define* (ftp-list conn #:optional directory)
           (or (eqv? code 226)
               (throw 'ftp-error conn "LIST" code message)))))))
 
-(define* (ftp-retr conn file #:optional directory)
+(define* (ftp-retr conn file #:optional directory
+                   #:key timeout)
   "Retrieve FILE from DIRECTORY (or, if omitted, the current directory) from
 FTP connection CONN.  Return a binary port to that file.  The returned port
 must be closed before CONN can be used for other purposes."
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ (define (terminate)
         (or (eqv? code 226)
             (throw 'ftp-error conn "LIST" code message))))
 
-    (connect s (address-with-port (addrinfo:addr ai) port))
+    (connect* s (address-with-port (addrinfo:addr ai) port) timeout)
     (setvbuf s _IOLBF)
 
     (%ftp-command (string-append "RETR " file)