diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 894e291c..06888d77 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ to a single process.
       - `Object`: optional, options object
     - **Options**
       - `pingTimeout` (`Number`): how many ms without a pong packet to
-        consider the connection closed (`5000`)
+        consider the connection closed (`20000`)
       - `pingInterval` (`Number`): how many ms before sending a new ping
         packet (`25000`)
       - `upgradeTimeout` (`Number`): how many ms before an uncompleted transport upgrade is cancelled (`10000`)
diff --git a/lib/server.js b/lib/server.js
index cafee604..4f2b8733 100644
--- a/lib/server.js
+++ b/lib/server.js
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ function Server (opts) {
   opts = opts || {};
 
   this.wsEngine = opts.wsEngine || process.env.EIO_WS_ENGINE || 'ws';
-  this.pingTimeout = opts.pingTimeout || 5000;
+  this.pingTimeout = opts.pingTimeout || 20000;
   this.pingInterval = opts.pingInterval || 25000;
   this.upgradeTimeout = opts.upgradeTimeout || 10000;
   this.maxHttpBufferSize = opts.maxHttpBufferSize || 1e6;