diff --git a/src/management/nfd-controller.hpp b/src/management/nfd-controller.hpp
index 1b46c76..91025de 100644
--- a/src/management/nfd-controller.hpp
+++ b/src/management/nfd-controller.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,8 @@
   void
   start(const ControlParameters& parameters,
         const CommandSucceedCallback& onSuccess,
-        const CommandFailCallback& onFailure);
+        const CommandFailCallback& onFailure,
+        time::milliseconds timeout = getDefaultCommandTimeout());
 
 public: // selfreg using FIB Management commands
   virtual void
@@ -56,6 +57,13 @@
                          const CommandSucceedCallback& onSuccess,
                          const CommandFailCallback& onFailure);
 
+public:
+  static time::milliseconds
+  getDefaultCommandTimeout()
+  {
+    return time::milliseconds(10000);
+  }
+
 protected:
   Face& m_face;
   CommandInterestGenerator m_commandInterestGenerator;
@@ -66,11 +74,15 @@
 void
 Controller::start(const ControlParameters& parameters,
                   const CommandSucceedCallback& onSuccess,
-                  const CommandFailCallback&    onFailure)
+                  const CommandFailCallback&    onFailure,
+                  time::milliseconds timeout)
 {
+  BOOST_ASSERT(timeout > time::milliseconds::zero());
+
   shared_ptr<ControlCommand> command = make_shared<Command>();
 
   Interest commandInterest = command->makeCommandInterest(parameters, m_commandInterestGenerator);
+  commandInterest.setInterestLifetime(timeout);
 
   // http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms740668.aspx
   const uint32_t timeoutCode = 10060;
diff --git a/tests/management/test-nfd-controller.cpp b/tests/management/test-nfd-controller.cpp
index fcb53b2..99a028c 100644
--- a/tests/management/test-nfd-controller.cpp
+++ b/tests/management/test-nfd-controller.cpp
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@
   BOOST_REQUIRE_NO_THROW(request.wireDecode(commandInterest.getName().at(4).blockFromValue()));
   BOOST_CHECK_NO_THROW(command.validateRequest(request));
   BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(request.getUri(), parameters.getUri());
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(commandInterest.getInterestLifetime(), Controller::getDefaultCommandTimeout());
 
   ControlParameters responseBody;
   responseBody.setUri("tcp4://192.0.2.1:6363")