diff --git a/interface/lib/classes/validate_client.inc.php b/interface/lib/classes/validate_client.inc.php
index 4652e2a07b1ddc65f5776a4538ec34d4ab382db4..463f697c293827ba1dd0191f1eec527b5fda0f55 100644
--- a/interface/lib/classes/validate_client.inc.php
+++ b/interface/lib/classes/validate_client.inc.php
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ class validate_client {
 				}
 			}
 			try {
+				ini_set("default_socket_timeout", 5);
 				$client = new SoapClient("http://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/vies/checkVatService.wsdl");
 				$params = array('countryCode' => $cc, 'vatNumber' => $vn);
 				try{