diff --git a/channels/exceptions.py b/channels/exceptions.py
index 3e52699..53cdd37 100644
--- a/channels/exceptions.py
+++ b/channels/exceptions.py
@@ -14,3 +14,10 @@ class ResponseLater(Exception):
     returning a response.
     """
     pass
+
+
+class RequestTimeout(Exception):
+    """
+    Raised when it takes too long to read a request body.
+    """
+    pass
diff --git a/channels/handler.py b/channels/handler.py
index 6e2bedb..26ab586 100644
--- a/channels/handler.py
+++ b/channels/handler.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import cgi
 import codecs
 import logging
 import sys
+import time
 import traceback
 from io import BytesIO
 from threading import Lock
@@ -13,11 +14,11 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.core import signals
 from django.core.handlers import base
 from django.core.urlresolvers import set_script_prefix
-from django.http import FileResponse, HttpResponseServerError
+from django.http import FileResponse, HttpResponse, HttpResponseServerError
 from django.utils import six
 from django.utils.functional import cached_property
 
-from .exceptions import ResponseLater as ResponseLaterOuter
+from .exceptions import ResponseLater as ResponseLaterOuter, RequestTimeout
 
 logger = logging.getLogger('django.request')
 
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
 
     ResponseLater = ResponseLaterOuter
 
+    # Number of seconds until a Request gives up on trying to read a request
+    # body and aborts.
+    body_receive_timeout = 60
+
     def __init__(self, message):
         self.message = message
         self.reply_channel = self.message.reply_channel
@@ -100,10 +105,15 @@ class AsgiRequest(http.HttpRequest):
         # Body handling
         self._body = message.get("body", b"")
         if message.get("body_channel", None):
+            body_handle_start = time.time()
             while True:
                 # Get the next chunk from the request body channel
                 chunk = None
                 while chunk is None:
+                    # If they take too long, raise request timeout and the handler
+                    # will turn it into a response
+                    if time.time() - body_handle_start > self.body_receive_timeout:
+                        raise RequestTimeout()
                     _, chunk = message.channel_layer.receive_many(
                         [message['body_channel']],
                         block=True,
@@ -184,6 +194,9 @@ class AsgiHandler(base.BaseHandler):
                 }
             )
             response = http.HttpResponseBadRequest()
+        except RequestTimeout:
+            # Parsing the rquest failed, so the response is a Request Timeout error
+            response = HttpResponse("408 Request Timeout (upload too slow)", status_code=408)
         else:
             try:
                 response = self.get_response(request)
diff --git a/channels/tests/test_request.py b/channels/tests/test_request.py
index 7d1c4ec..028d3da 100644
--- a/channels/tests/test_request.py
+++ b/channels/tests/test_request.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from django.utils import six
 from channels import Channel
 from channels.tests import ChannelTestCase
 from channels.handler import AsgiRequest
+from channels.exceptions import RequestTimeout
 
 
 class RequestTests(ChannelTestCase):
@@ -188,3 +189,30 @@ class RequestTests(ChannelTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(request.method, "PUT")
         self.assertEqual(request.read(3), b"one")
         self.assertEqual(request.read(), b"twothree")
+
+    def test_request_timeout(self):
+        """
+        Tests that the code correctly gives up after the request body read timeout.
+        """
+        Channel("test").send({
+            "reply_channel": "test",
+            "http_version": "1.1",
+            "method": "POST",
+            "path": b"/test/",
+            "body": b"there_a",
+            "body_channel": "test-input",
+            "headers": {
+                "host": b"example.com",
+                "content-type": b"application/x-www-form-urlencoded",
+                "content-length": b"21",
+            },
+        })
+        # Say there's more content, but never provide it! Muahahaha!
+        Channel("test-input").send({
+            "content": b"re=fou",
+            "more_content": True,
+        })
+        class VeryImpatientRequest(AsgiRequest):
+            body_receive_timeout = 0
+        with self.assertRaises(RequestTimeout):
+            VeryImpatientRequest(self.get_next_message("test"))