diff --git a/include/cppkafka/consumer.h b/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
index 8c3c899..5b7f634 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/consumer.h
@@ -301,6 +301,8 @@ public:
      * will think this consumer is down and will trigger a rebalance (if using dynamic 
      * subscription).
      *
+     * The timeout used on this call will be the one configured via Consumer::set_timeout.
+     *
      * The returned message *might* be empty. If's necessary to check that it's a valid one before
      * using it:
      * 
@@ -312,6 +314,16 @@ public:
      * \endcode
      */
     Message poll();
+
+    /**
+     * \brief Polls for new messages
+     *
+     * Same as the other overload of Consumer::poll but the provided timeout will be used
+     * instead of the one configured on this Consumer.
+     *
+     * \param timeout The timeout to be used on this call
+     */
+    Message poll(std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
 private:
     static void rebalance_proxy(rd_kafka_t *handle, rd_kafka_resp_err_t error,
                                 rd_kafka_topic_partition_list_t *partitions, void *opaque);
diff --git a/include/cppkafka/kafka_handle_base.h b/include/cppkafka/kafka_handle_base.h
index 2e9088f..71462c2 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/kafka_handle_base.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/kafka_handle_base.h
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ public:
      *
      * \param timeout The timeout to be set
      */
-    void set_timeout(const std::chrono::milliseconds& timeout);
+    void set_timeout(std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
 
     /**
      * \brief Adds one or more brokers to this handle's broker list
diff --git a/include/cppkafka/producer.h b/include/cppkafka/producer.h
index 87f83c6..f16f2f1 100644
--- a/include/cppkafka/producer.h
+++ b/include/cppkafka/producer.h
@@ -140,9 +140,20 @@ public:
     /**
      * \brief Polls on this handle
      *
-     * This translates into a call to rd_kafka_poll
+     * This translates into a call to rd_kafka_poll.
+     *
+     * The timeout used on this call is the one configured via Producer::set_timeout.
      */
     int poll();
+
+    /**
+     * \brief Polls on this handle
+     *
+     * This translates into a call to rd_kafka_poll.
+     *
+     * \param timeout The timeout used on this call
+     */
+    int poll(std::chrono::milliseconds timeout);
 private:
     PayloadPolicy message_payload_policy_;
 };
diff --git a/src/consumer.cpp b/src/consumer.cpp
index 96955b0..2152685 100644
--- a/src/consumer.cpp
+++ b/src/consumer.cpp
@@ -188,8 +188,11 @@ const Consumer::RebalanceErrorCallback& Consumer::get_rebalance_error_callback()
 }
 
 Message Consumer::poll() {
-    rd_kafka_message_t* message = rd_kafka_consumer_poll(get_handle(), 
-                                                         get_timeout().count());
+    return poll(get_timeout());
+}
+
+Message Consumer::poll(milliseconds timeout) {
+    rd_kafka_message_t* message = rd_kafka_consumer_poll(get_handle(), timeout.count());
     return message ? Message(message) : Message();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/kafka_handle_base.cpp b/src/kafka_handle_base.cpp
index 9148e74..627b2dd 100644
--- a/src/kafka_handle_base.cpp
+++ b/src/kafka_handle_base.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ void KafkaHandleBase::resume_partitions(const TopicPartitionList& topic_partitio
     check_error(error);
 }
 
-void KafkaHandleBase::set_timeout(const milliseconds& timeout) {
+void KafkaHandleBase::set_timeout(milliseconds timeout) {
     timeout_ms_ = timeout;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/producer.cpp b/src/producer.cpp
index 63dcc8b..5cd00cf 100644
--- a/src/producer.cpp
+++ b/src/producer.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@
 using std::move;
 using std::string;
 
+using std::chrono::milliseconds;
+
 namespace cppkafka {
 
 Producer::Producer(Configuration config)
@@ -83,7 +85,11 @@ void Producer::produce(const Topic& topic, const Partition& partition, const Buf
 }
 
 int Producer::poll() {
-    return rd_kafka_poll(get_handle(), get_timeout().count());
+    return poll(get_timeout());
+}
+
+int Producer::poll(milliseconds timeout) {
+    return rd_kafka_poll(get_handle(), timeout.count());
 }
 
 } // cppkafka