diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index 7d92919..81d432b 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -307,7 +307,14 @@ func Connect(connStr string, logLevel LogLevel) (conn *Conn, err error) {
 	tcpConn, err := net.Dial("tcp", fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d", params.Host, params.Port))
 	panicIfErr(err)
 
-	panicIfErr(tcpConn.SetDeadline(time.Unix(int64(params.TimeoutSeconds*1000*1000*1000), 0)))
+	// Handling the timeout using SetDeadline and an absolute date
+	// 0 if no timeout
+	noDeadline := time.Time{}
+	if params.TimeoutSeconds <= 0 {
+		panicIfErr(tcpConn.SetDeadline(noDeadline))
+	} else {
+		panicIfErr(tcpConn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(time.Duration(params.TimeoutSeconds)*time.Second)))
+	}
 
 	newConn.tcpConn = tcpConn