diff --git a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/BoltConnectionImpl.java b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/BoltConnectionImpl.java
index a6438b911..7c59f74ec 100644
--- a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/BoltConnectionImpl.java
+++ b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/BoltConnectionImpl.java
@@ -487,6 +487,11 @@ public CompletionStage<Void> close() {
         return close.exceptionally(ignored -> null);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public CompletionStage<Void> setReadTimeout(Duration duration) {
+        return executeInEventLoop(() -> connection.setReadTimeout(duration));
+    }
+
     @Override
     public BoltConnectionState state() {
         var state = stateRef.get();
@@ -528,6 +533,11 @@ public boolean serverSideRoutingEnabled() {
         return serverSideRouting;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Duration> defaultReadTimeout() {
+        return connection.defaultReadTimeoutMillis();
+    }
+
     private CompletionStage<Void> executeInEventLoop(Runnable runnable) {
         var executeFuture = new CompletableFuture<Void>();
         Runnable stageCompletingRunnable = () -> {
diff --git a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/async/NetworkConnection.java b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/async/NetworkConnection.java
index 5d3876ac7..9907a54c1 100644
--- a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/async/NetworkConnection.java
+++ b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/async/NetworkConnection.java
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelFutureListener;
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelHandler;
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoop;
+import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
@@ -56,7 +58,8 @@ public class NetworkConnection implements Connection {
     private final boolean ssrEnabled;
     private final BoltProtocol protocol;
 
-    private final Long connectionReadTimeout;
+    private final Duration defaultReadTimeout;
+    private Duration readTimeout;
 
     private ChannelHandler connectionReadTimeoutHandler;
 
@@ -70,8 +73,10 @@ public NetworkConnection(Channel channel, LoggingProvider logging) {
         this.telemetryEnabled = ChannelAttributes.telemetryEnabled(channel);
         this.ssrEnabled = ChannelAttributes.ssrEnabled(channel);
         this.protocol = BoltProtocol.forChannel(channel);
-        this.connectionReadTimeout =
-                ChannelAttributes.connectionReadTimeout(channel).orElse(null);
+        this.defaultReadTimeout = ChannelAttributes.connectionReadTimeout(channel)
+                .map(Duration::ofSeconds)
+                .orElse(null);
+        this.readTimeout = defaultReadTimeout;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -179,6 +184,25 @@ public EventLoop eventLoop() {
         return channel.eventLoop();
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public Optional<Duration> defaultReadTimeoutMillis() {
+        return Optional.ofNullable(defaultReadTimeout);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setReadTimeout(Duration duration) {
+        if (!channel.eventLoop().inEventLoop()) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("This method may only be called in the EventLoop");
+        }
+
+        if (duration != null && duration.toMillis() > 0) {
+            // only values greater than zero milliseconds are supported
+            this.readTimeout = duration;
+        } else {
+            this.readTimeout = this.defaultReadTimeout;
+        }
+    }
+
     private CompletionStage<Void> writeMessageInEventLoop(Message message, ResponseHandler handler) {
         var future = new CompletableFuture<Void>();
         Runnable runnable = () -> {
@@ -215,8 +239,9 @@ private void registerConnectionReadTimeout(Channel channel) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("This method may only be called in the EventLoop");
         }
 
-        if (connectionReadTimeout != null && connectionReadTimeoutHandler == null) {
-            connectionReadTimeoutHandler = new ConnectionReadTimeoutHandler(connectionReadTimeout, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+        if (this.readTimeout != null && connectionReadTimeoutHandler == null) {
+            connectionReadTimeoutHandler =
+                    new ConnectionReadTimeoutHandler(readTimeout.toMillis(), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
             channel.pipeline().addFirst(connectionReadTimeoutHandler);
             log.log(System.Logger.Level.DEBUG, "Added ConnectionReadTimeoutHandler");
             messageDispatcher.setBeforeLastHandlerHook(() -> {
diff --git a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/spi/Connection.java b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/spi/Connection.java
index bd9dbb045..8310cab43 100644
--- a/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/spi/Connection.java
+++ b/bolt-api-netty/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/basicimpl/impl/spi/Connection.java
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 package org.neo4j.driver.internal.bolt.basicimpl.impl.spi;
 
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoop;
+import java.time.Duration;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage;
 import org.neo4j.driver.internal.bolt.api.BoltServerAddress;
 import org.neo4j.driver.internal.bolt.basicimpl.impl.messaging.BoltProtocol;
@@ -48,4 +50,8 @@ public interface Connection {
     CompletionStage<Void> close();
 
     EventLoop eventLoop();
+
+    Optional<Duration> defaultReadTimeoutMillis();
+
+    void setReadTimeout(Duration duration);
 }
diff --git a/bolt-api/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/api/BoltConnection.java b/bolt-api/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/api/BoltConnection.java
index bef1f5112..474a1ab39 100644
--- a/bolt-api/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/api/BoltConnection.java
+++ b/bolt-api/src/main/java/org/neo4j/driver/internal/bolt/api/BoltConnection.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.CompletionStage;
 import org.neo4j.driver.internal.bolt.api.values.Value;
@@ -75,6 +76,10 @@ CompletionStage<BoltConnection> runInAutoCommitTransaction(
 
     CompletionStage<Void> close();
 
+    // ----- STATE UPDATES -----
+
+    CompletionStage<Void> setReadTimeout(Duration duration);
+
     // ----- MUTABLE DATA -----
 
     BoltConnectionState state();
@@ -92,4 +97,6 @@ CompletionStage<BoltConnection> runInAutoCommitTransaction(
     boolean telemetrySupported();
 
     boolean serverSideRoutingEnabled();
+
+    Optional<Duration> defaultReadTimeout();
 }