diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index a8eef6ae..3e23cbb6 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ To run a single test:
 bundle exec m test/test_binder.rb:37
 ```
 
+To run a single test with 5 seconds as the test case timeout:
+```sh
+TEST_CASE_TIMEOUT=5 bundle exec m test/test_binder.rb:37
+```
+
 ## How to contribute
 
 Puma could use your help in several areas!
diff --git a/test/helper.rb b/test/helper.rb
index 635df85d..f2380625 100644
--- a/test/helper.rb
+++ b/test/helper.rb
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ Thread.abort_on_exception = true
 
 $debugging_info = ''.dup
 $debugging_hold = false    # needed for TestCLI#test_control_clustered
+$test_case_timeout = ENV.fetch("TEST_CASE_TIMEOUT") do
+  RUBY_ENGINE == "ruby" ? 45 : 60
+end.to_i
 
 require "puma"
 require "puma/detect"
@@ -77,14 +80,14 @@ module TimeoutEveryTestCase
     with_info_handler do
       time_it do
         capture_exceptions do
-          ::Timeout.timeout(RUBY_ENGINE == 'ruby' ? 45 : 60, TestTookTooLong) do
+          ::Timeout.timeout($test_case_timeout, TestTookTooLong) do
             before_setup; setup; after_setup
             self.send self.name
           end
         end
 
         capture_exceptions do
-          ::Timeout.timeout(RUBY_ENGINE == 'ruby' ? 45 : 60, TestTookTooLong) do
+          ::Timeout.timeout($test_case_timeout, TestTookTooLong) do
             Minitest::Test::TEARDOWN_METHODS.each { |hook| self.send hook }
           end
         end