diff --git a/go/cmd/vttestserver/main.go b/go/cmd/vttestserver/main.go
index a018135913a..65614d80ace 100644
--- a/go/cmd/vttestserver/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/vttestserver/main.go
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ func parseFlags() (config vttest.Config, env vttest.Environment, err error) {
 		"A MySQL DB snapshot file")
 
 	flag.StringVar(&config.TransactionMode, "transaction_mode", "MULTI", "Transaction mode MULTI (default), SINGLE or TWOPC ")
+	flag.Float64Var(&config.TransactionTimeout, "queryserver-config-transaction-timeout", 0, "query server transaction timeout (in seconds), a transaction will be killed if it takes longer than this value")
 
 	flag.Parse()
 
diff --git a/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go b/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
index b69c2ccec74..0ae9495a8cb 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttest/local_cluster.go
@@ -99,6 +99,8 @@ type Config struct {
 
 	// TransactionMode is SINGLE, MULTI or TWOPC
 	TransactionMode string
+
+	TransactionTimeout float64
 }
 
 // InitSchemas is a shortcut for tests that just want to setup a single
diff --git a/go/vt/vttest/vtprocess.go b/go/vt/vttest/vtprocess.go
index e3065477033..91bf375a595 100644
--- a/go/vt/vttest/vtprocess.go
+++ b/go/vt/vttest/vtprocess.go
@@ -237,6 +237,9 @@ func VtcomboProcess(env Environment, args *Config, mysql MySQLManager) *VtProces
 	if args.TransactionMode != "" {
 		vt.ExtraArgs = append(vt.ExtraArgs, []string{"-transaction_mode", args.TransactionMode}...)
 	}
+	if args.TransactionTimeout != 0 {
+		vt.ExtraArgs = append(vt.ExtraArgs, "-queryserver-config-transaction-timeout", fmt.Sprintf("%f", args.TransactionTimeout))
+	}
 
 	if socket != "" {
 		vt.ExtraArgs = append(vt.ExtraArgs, []string{