diff --git a/daphne/http_protocol.py b/daphne/http_protocol.py
index 0dd8fe9..3f7b967 100755
--- a/daphne/http_protocol.py
+++ b/daphne/http_protocol.py
@@ -219,11 +219,12 @@ class HTTPFactory(http.HTTPFactory):
 
     protocol = HTTPProtocol
 
-    def __init__(self, channel_layer, action_logger=None, timeout=120):
+    def __init__(self, channel_layer, action_logger=None, timeout=120, websocket_timeout=86400):
         http.HTTPFactory.__init__(self)
         self.channel_layer = channel_layer
         self.action_logger = action_logger
         self.timeout = timeout
+        self.websocket_timeout = websocket_timeout
         # We track all sub-protocols for response channel mapping
         self.reply_protocols = {}
         # Make a factory for WebSocket protocols
@@ -260,5 +261,9 @@ class HTTPFactory(http.HTTPFactory):
         taken too long (and so their message is probably expired)
         """
         for protocol in list(self.reply_protocols.values()):
+            # Web timeout checking
             if isinstance(protocol, WebRequest) and protocol.duration() > self.timeout:
                 protocol.basic_error(503, b"Service Unavailable", "Worker server failed to respond within time limit.")
+            # WebSocket timeout checking
+            elif isinstance(protocol, WebSocketProtocol) and protocol.duration() > self.websocket_timeout:
+                protocol.serverClose()
diff --git a/daphne/server.py b/daphne/server.py
index baf0301..84f9d1d 100755
--- a/daphne/server.py
+++ b/daphne/server.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ class Server(object):
         port=8000,
         signal_handlers=True,
         action_logger=None,
-        http_timeout=120
+        http_timeout=120,
+        websocket_timeout=None,
     ):
         self.channel_layer = channel_layer
         self.host = host
@@ -23,9 +24,17 @@ class Server(object):
         self.signal_handlers = signal_handlers
         self.action_logger = action_logger
         self.http_timeout = http_timeout
+        # If they did not provide a websocket timeout, default it to the
+        # channel layer's group_expiry value if present, or one day if not.
+        self.websocket_timeout = websocket_timeout or getattr(channel_layer, "group_expiry", 86400)
 
     def run(self):
-        self.factory = HTTPFactory(self.channel_layer, self.action_logger, timeout=self.http_timeout)
+        self.factory = HTTPFactory(
+            self.channel_layer,
+            self.action_logger,
+            timeout=self.http_timeout,
+            websocket_timeout=self.websocket_timeout,
+        )
         reactor.listenTCP(self.port, self.factory, interface=self.host)
         reactor.callLater(0, self.backend_reader)
         reactor.callLater(2, self.timeout_checker)
@@ -54,8 +63,7 @@ class Server(object):
 
     def timeout_checker(self):
         """
-        Called periodically to enforce timeout rules on HTTP connections
-        (but not WebSocket)
+        Called periodically to enforce timeout rules on all connections
         """
         self.factory.check_timeouts()
         reactor.callLater(2, self.timeout_checker)
diff --git a/daphne/ws_protocol.py b/daphne/ws_protocol.py
index 6dc2d00..d1f2e8f 100755
--- a/daphne/ws_protocol.py
+++ b/daphne/ws_protocol.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class WebSocketProtocol(WebSocketServerProtocol):
     def onConnect(self, request):
         self.request = request
         self.packets_received = 0
+        self.socket_opened = time.time()
         try:
             # Sanitize and decode headers
             clean_headers = {}
@@ -114,6 +115,12 @@ class WebSocketProtocol(WebSocketServerProtocol):
         else:
             logger.debug("WebSocket closed before handshake established")
 
+    def duration(self):
+        """
+        Returns the time since the socket was opened
+        """
+        return time.time() - self.socket_opened
+
 
 class WebSocketFactory(WebSocketServerFactory):
     """