diff --git a/go/vt/topo/consultopo/watch.go b/go/vt/topo/consultopo/watch.go
index a0d05999fca..c77b7630c50 100644
--- a/go/vt/topo/consultopo/watch.go
+++ b/go/vt/topo/consultopo/watch.go
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ func (s *Server) Watch(ctx context.Context, filePath string) (*topo.WatchData, <
 	go func() {
 		defer close(notifications)
 
+		var getCtx context.Context
+		// Initialize to no-op function to avoid having to check for nil.
+		cancelGetCtx := func() {}
+
+		defer cancelGetCtx()
+
 		for {
 			// Wait/poll until we get a new version.
 			// Get with a WaitIndex and WaitTime will return
@@ -69,9 +75,18 @@ func (s *Server) Watch(ctx context.Context, filePath string) (*topo.WatchData, <
 				WaitIndex: waitIndex,
 				WaitTime:  *watchPollDuration,
 			}
-			pair, _, err = s.kv.Get(nodePath, opts.WithContext(watchCtx))
+
+			// Make a new Context for just this one Get() call.
+			// The server should send us something after WaitTime at the latest.
+			// If it takes more than 2x that long, assume we've lost contact.
+			// This essentially uses WaitTime as a heartbeat interval to detect
+			// a dead connection.
+			cancelGetCtx()
+			getCtx, cancelGetCtx = context.WithTimeout(watchCtx, 2*opts.WaitTime)
+
+			pair, _, err = s.kv.Get(nodePath, opts.WithContext(getCtx))
 			if err != nil {
-				// Serious error or context cancelled.
+				// Serious error or context timeout/cancelled.
 				notifications <- &topo.WatchData{
 					Err: convertError(err, nodePath),
 				}