diff --git a/weed/command/scaffold/filer.toml b/weed/command/scaffold/filer.toml
index a6a45923e..77c6cd58b 100644
--- a/weed/command/scaffold/filer.toml
+++ b/weed/command/scaffold/filer.toml
@@ -153,6 +153,8 @@ password = ""
 superLargeDirectories = []
 # Name of the datacenter local to this filer, used as host selection fallback.
 localDC = ""
+# Gocql connection timeout, default: 600ms
+connection_timeout_millisecond = 600
 
 [hbase]
 enabled = false
diff --git a/weed/filer/cassandra/cassandra_store.go b/weed/filer/cassandra/cassandra_store.go
index fc0b52ac7..fb61b0771 100644
--- a/weed/filer/cassandra/cassandra_store.go
+++ b/weed/filer/cassandra/cassandra_store.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"github.com/gocql/gocql"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/filer"
 	"github.com/chrislusf/seaweedfs/weed/glog"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ func (store *CassandraStore) Initialize(configuration util.Configuration, prefix
 		configuration.GetString(prefix+"password"),
 		configuration.GetStringSlice(prefix+"superLargeDirectories"),
 		configuration.GetString(prefix+"localDC"),
+		configuration.GetInt(prefix+"connection_timeout_millisecond"),
 	)
 }
 
@@ -41,12 +43,14 @@ func (store *CassandraStore) isSuperLargeDirectory(dir string) (dirHash string,
 	return
 }
 
-func (store *CassandraStore) initialize(keyspace string, hosts []string, username string, password string, superLargeDirectories []string, localDC string) (err error) {
+func (store *CassandraStore) initialize(keyspace string, hosts []string, username string, password string, superLargeDirectories []string, localDC string, timeout int) (err error) {
 	store.cluster = gocql.NewCluster(hosts...)
 	if username != "" && password != "" {
 		store.cluster.Authenticator = gocql.PasswordAuthenticator{Username: username, Password: password}
 	}
 	store.cluster.Keyspace = keyspace
+	store.cluster.Timeout = time.Duration(timeout) * time.Millisecond
+	glog.V(0).Infof("timeout = %d", timeout)
 	fallback := gocql.RoundRobinHostPolicy()
 	if localDC != "" {
 		fallback = gocql.DCAwareRoundRobinPolicy(localDC)