diff --git a/src/smpp_gateway/management/commands/smpp_client.py b/src/smpp_gateway/management/commands/smpp_client.py
index be422bd..562ada1 100644
--- a/src/smpp_gateway/management/commands/smpp_client.py
+++ b/src/smpp_gateway/management/commands/smpp_client.py
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ def add_arguments(self, parser):
             type=int,
             default=os.environ.get("SMPPLIB_MT_MESSAGES_PER_SECOND", 20),
         )
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--socket-timeout",
+            type=int,
+            default=os.environ.get("SMPPLIB_SOCKET_TIMEOUT", 30),
+        )
         parser.add_argument(
             "--database-url",
             default=os.environ.get("DATABASE_URL"),
diff --git a/src/smpp_gateway/outgoing.py b/src/smpp_gateway/outgoing.py
index 12878f9..16e8e4b 100644
--- a/src/smpp_gateway/outgoing.py
+++ b/src/smpp_gateway/outgoing.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import logging
 
-from django.db import connection
+# from django.db import connection
 from django.utils import timezone
 from rapidsms.backends.base import BackendBase
 
@@ -48,5 +48,6 @@ def send(self, id_, text, identities, context=None):
             MTMessage.objects.bulk_create(
                 [MTMessage(**kwargs) for kwargs in kwargs_group]
             )
-            with connection.cursor() as curs:
-                curs.execute(f"NOTIFY {self.model.name}")
+            # FIXME: Re-enable when we have a way to avoid notifies on bulk SMS
+            # with connection.cursor() as curs:
+            #     curs.execute(f"NOTIFY {self.model.name}")
diff --git a/src/smpp_gateway/smpp.py b/src/smpp_gateway/smpp.py
index 1c1d401..6b07c69 100644
--- a/src/smpp_gateway/smpp.py
+++ b/src/smpp_gateway/smpp.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ def get_smpplib_client(
     submit_sm_params: dict,
     set_priority_flag: bool,
     mt_messages_per_second: int,
+    socket_timeout: int,
     hc_check_uuid: str,
     hc_ping_key: str,
     hc_check_slug: str,
@@ -38,10 +39,12 @@ def get_smpplib_client(
         submit_sm_params,
         set_priority_flag,
         mt_messages_per_second,
+        # Pass-through arguments to smpplib.client.Client:
         host,
         port,
         allow_unknown_opt_params=True,
         sequence_generator=sequence_generator,
+        timeout=socket_timeout,
     )
     return client
 
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ def start_smpp_client(options):
         json.loads(options["submit_sm_params"]),
         options["set_priority_flag"],
         options["mt_messages_per_second"],
+        options["socket_timeout"],
         options["hc_check_uuid"],
         options["hc_ping_key"],
         options["hc_check_slug"],
diff --git a/tests/test_client.py b/tests/test_client.py
index 3331ac5..efcc22e 100644
--- a/tests/test_client.py
+++ b/tests/test_client.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ def test_received_mo_message(self):
             {},  # submit_sm_params
             False,  # set_priority_flag
             20,  # mt_messages_per_second
+            30,  # socket_timeout
             "",  # hc_check_uuid
             "",  # hc_ping_key
             "",  # hc_check_slug
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ def test_received_message_receipt(self):
             {},  # submit_sm_params
             False,  # set_priority_flag
             20,  # mt_messages_per_second
+            30,  # socket_timeout
             "",  # hc_check_uuid
             "",  # hc_ping_key
             "",  # hc_check_slug
@@ -106,6 +108,7 @@ def test_received_null_short_message(self):
             {},  # submit_sm_params
             False,  # set_priority_flag
             20,  # mt_messages_per_second
+            30,  # socket_timeout
             "",  # hc_check_uuid
             "",  # hc_ping_key
             "",  # hc_check_slug
@@ -145,6 +148,7 @@ def test_message_sent_handler():
         {},  # submit_sm_params
         False,  # set_priority_flag
         20,  # mt_messages_per_second
+        30,  # socket_timeout
         "",  # hc_check_uuid
         "",  # hc_ping_key
         "",  # hc_check_slug
@@ -183,6 +187,7 @@ def get_client_and_message(
             submit_sm_params or {},
             set_priority_flag,
             20,  # mt_messages_per_second
+            30,  # socket_timeout
             "",  # hc_check_uuid
             "",  # hc_ping_key
             "",  # hc_check_slug