diff --git a/src/escalus_connection.erl b/src/escalus_connection.erl
index fe450e5..1a69cbf 100644
--- a/src/escalus_connection.erl
+++ b/src/escalus_connection.erl
@@ -425,7 +425,9 @@ use_zlib(#client{module = Mod, rcv_pid = Pid}) ->
 
 -spec upgrade_to_tls(client()) -> ok.
 upgrade_to_tls(#client{module = Mod, rcv_pid = Pid, props = Props}) ->
-    SSLOpts = proplists:get_value(ssl_opts, Props, [[{verify, verify_none}]]),
+    HibernateAfter = proplists:get_value(hibernate_after, Props, 500),
+    DefSslOpts = [[{hibernate_after, HibernateAfter}, {verify, verify_none}]],
+    SSLOpts = proplists:get_value(ssl_opts, Props, DefSslOpts),
     Mod:upgrade_to_tls(Pid, SSLOpts).
 
 wait_for_close(Client) ->
diff --git a/src/escalus_tcp.erl b/src/escalus_tcp.erl
index 90ea3df..6670341 100755
--- a/src/escalus_tcp.erl
+++ b/src/escalus_tcp.erl
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@
         event_client      => undefined | escalus_event:event_client(),
         socket_opts       => [gen_tcp:connect_option()],
         ssl_opts          => [ssl:tls_client_option()],
-        parser_opts       => [exml_stream:parser_opt()]
+        parser_opts       => [exml_stream:parser_opt()],
+        hibernate_after   => timeout()
 }.
 
 %%%===================================================================
@@ -81,7 +82,8 @@
 -spec connect([proplists:property()] | opts()) -> pid().
 connect(Opts0) ->
     Opts1 = opts_to_map(Opts0),
-    {ok, Pid} = gen_server:start_link(?MODULE, [Opts1, self()], []),
+    GenOpts = maps:to_list(maps:with([hibernate_after], Opts1)),
+    {ok, Pid} = gen_server:start_link(?MODULE, [Opts1, self()], GenOpts),
     Pid.
 
 -spec send(pid(), exml_stream:element() | [exml_stream:element()] | binary()) -> ok.
@@ -320,7 +322,8 @@ default_options() ->
       event_client      => undefined,
       socket_opts       => default_socket_options(),
       ssl_opts          => [{verify, verify_none}],
-      parser_opts       => []}.
+      parser_opts       => [],
+      hibernate_after   => 500}.
 
 -spec default_socket_options() -> [gen_tcp:connect_option()].
 default_socket_options() ->
@@ -461,11 +464,12 @@ do_connect(#{ssl        := IsSSLConn,
              on_connect := OnConnectFun,
              host       := Host,
              port       := Port,
-             ssl_opts   := SSLOpts} = Opts) ->
+             ssl_opts   := SSLOpts,
+             hibernate_after := HibernateAfter} = Opts) ->
     Address = host_to_inet(Host),
     SocketOpts = get_socket_opts(Opts),
     TimeB = erlang:system_time(microsecond),
-    Reply = maybe_ssl_connection(IsSSLConn, Address, Port, SocketOpts, SSLOpts),
+    Reply = maybe_ssl_connection(IsSSLConn, Address, Port, SocketOpts, SSLOpts, HibernateAfter),
     TimeA = erlang:system_time(microsecond),
     ConnectionTime = TimeA - TimeB,
     case Reply of
@@ -476,9 +480,9 @@ do_connect(#{ssl        := IsSSLConn,
     end,
     Reply.
 
-maybe_ssl_connection(true, Address, Port, SocketOpts, SSLOpts) ->
-    ssl:connect(Address, Port, SocketOpts ++ SSLOpts);
-maybe_ssl_connection(_, Address, Port, SocketOpts, _) ->
+maybe_ssl_connection(true, Address, Port, SocketOpts, SSLOpts, HibernateAfter) ->
+    ssl:connect(Address, Port, SocketOpts ++ SSLOpts ++ [{hibernate_after, HibernateAfter}]);
+maybe_ssl_connection(_, Address, Port, SocketOpts, _, _) ->
     gen_tcp:connect(Address, Port, SocketOpts).
 
 %%===================================================================