diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index ebbaf1a..85da61d 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -340,6 +340,39 @@ function:
        pytest.fail("+++ Timeout +++")
 
 
+
+Session Timeout
+===============
+
+The above mentioned timeouts are all per test function. You can also set a
+session timeout in seconds. The following example shows a session timeout
+of 10 minutes (600 seconds)::
+
+   pytest --session-timeout=600
+
+You can also set the session timeout the `pytest configuration file`__
+   using the ``session_timeout`` option:
+
+   .. code:: ini
+
+      [pytest]
+      session_timeout = 600
+
+Friendly timeouts
+-----------------
+
+Session timeouts are "friendly" timeouts. The plugin checks the session time at the end of
+each test function, and stops further tests from running if the session timeout is exceeded.
+
+Combining session and function
+------------------------------
+
+It works fine to combine both session and function timeouts.
+For example, to limit test functions to 5 seconds and the full session to 100 seconds::
+
+   pytest --timeout=5 --session-timeout=100
+
+
 Changelog
 =========
 
@@ -353,6 +386,7 @@ Unreleased
   This change also switches all output from ``sys.stderr`` to ``sys.stdout``.
   Thanks Pedro Algarvio.
 - Pytest 7.0.0 is now the minimum supported version.  Thanks Pedro Algarvio.
+- Add ``--session-timeout`` option and ``session_timeout`` setting.
 
 2.2.0
 -----
diff --git a/pytest_timeout.py b/pytest_timeout.py
index 800d0cd..de4878a 100644
--- a/pytest_timeout.py
+++ b/pytest_timeout.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 __all__ = ("is_debugging", "Settings")
 SESSION_TIMEOUT_KEY = pytest.StashKey[float]()
+SESSION_EXPIRE_KEY = pytest.StashKey[float]()
 
 
 HAVE_SIGALRM = hasattr(signal, "SIGALRM")
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
         type="bool",
         default=False,
     )
+    parser.addini("session_timeout", SESSION_TIMEOUT_DESC)
 
 
 class TimeoutHooks:
@@ -159,12 +161,18 @@ def pytest_configure(config):
     config._env_timeout_func_only = settings.func_only
     config._env_timeout_disable_debugger_detection = settings.disable_debugger_detection
 
-    timeout = config.getoption("--session-timeout")
+    timeout = config.getoption("session_timeout")
+    if timeout is None:
+        ini = config.getini("session_timeout")
+        if ini:
+            timeout = _validate_timeout(config.getini("session_timeout"), "config file")
     if timeout is not None:
         expire_time = time.time() + timeout
     else:
         expire_time = 0
-    config.stash[SESSION_TIMEOUT_KEY] = expire_time
+        timeout = 0
+    config.stash[SESSION_TIMEOUT_KEY] = timeout
+    config.stash[SESSION_EXPIRE_KEY] = expire_time
 
 
 @pytest.hookimpl(hookwrapper=True)
@@ -185,9 +193,9 @@ def pytest_runtest_protocol(item):
         hooks.pytest_timeout_cancel_timer(item=item)
 
     #  check session timeout
-    expire_time = item.session.config.stash[SESSION_TIMEOUT_KEY]
+    expire_time = item.session.config.stash[SESSION_EXPIRE_KEY]
     if expire_time and (expire_time < time.time()):
-        timeout = item.session.config.getoption("--session-timeout")
+        timeout = item.session.config.stash[SESSION_TIMEOUT_KEY]
         item.session.shouldfail = f"session-timeout: {timeout} sec exceeded"
 
 
@@ -223,7 +231,7 @@ def pytest_report_header(config):
             )
         )
 
-    session_timeout = config.getoption("--session-timeout")
+    session_timeout = config.getoption("session_timeout")
     if session_timeout:
         timeout_header.append("session timeout: %ss" % session_timeout)
     if timeout_header:
diff --git a/test_pytest_timeout.py b/test_pytest_timeout.py
index ac4e9fa..175eda8 100644
--- a/test_pytest_timeout.py
+++ b/test_pytest_timeout.py
@@ -623,17 +623,40 @@ def test_session_timeout(pytester):
 
         @pytest.fixture()
         def slow_setup_and_teardown():
-            time.sleep(0.5)
+            time.sleep(1)
             yield
-            time.sleep(0.5)
+            time.sleep(1)
 
         def test_one(slow_setup_and_teardown):
-            time.sleep(0.5)
+            time.sleep(1)
 
         def test_two(slow_setup_and_teardown):
-            time.sleep(0.5)
+            time.sleep(1)
         """
     )
-    result = pytester.runpytest_subprocess("--session-timeout", "1.25")
-    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*!! session-timeout: 1.25 sec exceeded !!!*"])
+    result = pytester.runpytest_subprocess("--session-timeout", "2")
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*!! session-timeout: 2.0 sec exceeded !!!*"])
+    result.assert_outcomes(passed=1)
+
+
+def test_ini_session_timeout(pytester):
+    pytester.makepyfile(
+        """
+        import time
+
+        def test_one():
+            time.sleep(2)
+
+        def test_two():
+            time.sleep(2)
+        """
+    )
+    pytester.makeini(
+        """
+        [pytest]
+        session_timeout = 1
+        """
+    )
+    result = pytester.runpytest_subprocess()
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines(["*!! session-timeout: 1.0 sec exceeded !!!*"])
     result.assert_outcomes(passed=1)