diff --git a/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h b/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
index 3b94f804b852..f73c482ec9c6 100644
--- a/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
+++ b/include/linux/sunrpc/sched.h
@@ -128,12 +128,13 @@ struct rpc_task_setup {
 #define RPC_TASK_SOFT		0x0200		/* Use soft timeouts */
 #define RPC_TASK_SOFTCONN	0x0400		/* Fail if can't connect */
 #define RPC_TASK_SENT		0x0800		/* message was sent */
+#define RPC_TASK_TIMEOUT	0x1000		/* fail with ETIMEDOUT on timeout */
 
 #define RPC_IS_ASYNC(t)		((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_ASYNC)
 #define RPC_IS_SWAPPER(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SWAPPER)
 #define RPC_DO_ROOTOVERRIDE(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_ROOTCREDS)
 #define RPC_ASSASSINATED(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_KILLED)
-#define RPC_IS_SOFT(t)		((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SOFT)
+#define RPC_IS_SOFT(t)		((t)->tk_flags & (RPC_TASK_SOFT|RPC_TASK_TIMEOUT))
 #define RPC_IS_SOFTCONN(t)	((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SOFTCONN)
 #define RPC_WAS_SENT(t)		((t)->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_SENT)
 
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/clnt.c b/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
index e7a96e478f63..8d83f9d48713 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/clnt.c
@@ -1508,7 +1508,10 @@ call_timeout(struct rpc_task *task)
 		if (clnt->cl_chatty)
 			printk(KERN_NOTICE "%s: server %s not responding, timed out\n",
 				clnt->cl_protname, clnt->cl_server);
-		rpc_exit(task, -EIO);
+		if (task->tk_flags & RPC_TASK_TIMEOUT)
+			rpc_exit(task, -ETIMEDOUT);
+		else
+			rpc_exit(task, -EIO);
 		return;
 	}