diff --git a/builtin/providers/postgresql/config.go b/builtin/providers/postgresql/config.go
index 2d14baba8..f7e82ad82 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/postgresql/config.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/postgresql/config.go
@@ -10,14 +10,15 @@ import (
 
 // Config - provider config
 type Config struct {
-	Host            string
-	Port            int
-	Database        string
-	Username        string
-	Password        string
-	SSLMode         string
-	Timeout         int
-	ApplicationName string
+	Host              string
+	Port              int
+	Database          string
+	Username          string
+	Password          string
+	SSLMode           string
+	ApplicationName   string
+	Timeout           int
+	ConnectTimeoutSec int
 }
 
 // Client struct holding connection string
@@ -32,10 +33,10 @@ func (c *Config) NewClient() (*Client, error) {
 	// user.
 	const dsnFmt = "host=%s port=%d dbname=%s user=%s password=%s sslmode=%s fallback_application_name=%s connect_timeout=%d"
 
-	logDSN := fmt.Sprintf(dsnFmt, c.Host, c.Port, c.Database, c.Username, "<redacted>", c.SSLMode, c.ApplicationName)
+	logDSN := fmt.Sprintf(dsnFmt, c.Host, c.Port, c.Database, c.Username, "<redacted>", c.SSLMode, c.ApplicationName, c.ConnectTimeoutSec)
 	log.Printf("[INFO] PostgreSQL DSN: `%s`", logDSN)
 
-	connStr := fmt.Sprintf(dsnFmt, c.Host, c.Port, c.Database, c.Username, c.Password, c.SSLMode, c.ApplicationName, c.Timeout)
+	connStr := fmt.Sprintf(dsnFmt, c.Host, c.Port, c.Database, c.Username, c.Password, c.SSLMode, c.ApplicationName, c.ConnectTimeoutSec)
 	client := Client{
 		connStr:  connStr,
 		username: c.Username,
diff --git a/builtin/providers/postgresql/provider.go b/builtin/providers/postgresql/provider.go
index 9c6dc949c..65aa0ba7c 100644
--- a/builtin/providers/postgresql/provider.go
+++ b/builtin/providers/postgresql/provider.go
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ func Provider() terraform.ResourceProvider {
 				Optional:   true,
 				Deprecated: "Rename PostgreSQL provider `ssl_mode` attribute to `sslmode`",
 			},
+			"connect_timeout": {
+				Type:         schema.TypeInt,
+				Optional:     true,
+				DefaultFunc:  schema.EnvDefaultFunc("PGCONNECT_TIMEOUT", 180),
+				Description:  "Maximum wait for connection, in seconds. Zero or not specified means wait indefinitely.",
+				ValidateFunc: validateConnTimeout,
+			},
 		},
 
 		ResourcesMap: map[string]*schema.Resource{
@@ -76,6 +83,14 @@ func Provider() terraform.ResourceProvider {
 	}
 }
 
+func validateConnTimeout(v interface{}, key string) (warnings []string, errors []error) {
+	value := v.(int)
+	if value < 0 {
+		errors = append(errors, fmt.Errorf("%d can not be less than 0", key))
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 func providerConfigure(d *schema.ResourceData) (interface{}, error) {
 	var sslMode string
 	var ok bool
@@ -83,14 +98,14 @@ func providerConfigure(d *schema.ResourceData) (interface{}, error) {
 		sslMode = d.Get("ssl_mode").(string)
 	}
 	config := Config{
-		Host:            d.Get("host").(string),
-		Port:            d.Get("port").(int),
-		Database:        d.Get("database").(string),
-		Username:        d.Get("username").(string),
-		Password:        d.Get("password").(string),
-		SSLMode:         sslMode,
-		Timeout:         d.Get("connect_timeout").(int),
-		ApplicationName: tfAppName(),
+		Host:              d.Get("host").(string),
+		Port:              d.Get("port").(int),
+		Database:          d.Get("database").(string),
+		Username:          d.Get("username").(string),
+		Password:          d.Get("password").(string),
+		SSLMode:           sslMode,
+		ApplicationName:   tfAppName(),
+		ConnectTimeoutSec: d.Get("connect_timeout").(int),
 	}
 
 	client, err := config.NewClient()
diff --git a/website/source/docs/providers/postgresql/index.html.markdown b/website/source/docs/providers/postgresql/index.html.markdown
index 3f30d6574..3cd9aee8f 100644
--- a/website/source/docs/providers/postgresql/index.html.markdown
+++ b/website/source/docs/providers/postgresql/index.html.markdown
@@ -74,6 +74,5 @@ The following arguments are supported:
     * verify-full - Always SSL (verify that the certification presented by the server was signed by a trusted CA and the server host name matches the one in the certificate)
   Additional information on the options and their implications can be seen
   [in the `libpq(3)` SSL guide](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/static/libpq-ssl.html#LIBPQ-SSL-PROTECTION).
-* `connect_timeout` - (Optional) Maximum wait for connection, in seconds. Zero means wait indefinitely, the default is `15`.
-  The default is `prefer`; the full set of options and their implications
-  can be seen [in the libpq SSL guide](http://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.4/static/libpq-ssl.html#LIBPQ-SSL-PROTECTION).
+* `connect_timeout` - (Optional) Maximum wait for connection, in seconds. The
+  default is `180s`.  Zero or not specified means wait indefinitely.