diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/client.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/client.go
index 9b77b750a..5278cd349 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/client.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/client.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ type Client struct {
 	Root      *view.ContainerView
 	Perf      *performance.Manager
 	Valid     bool
+	Timeout   time.Duration
 	closeGate sync.Once
 }
 
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ func (cf *ClientFactory) GetClient(ctx context.Context) (*Client, error) {
 	defer cf.mux.Unlock()
 	if cf.client == nil {
 		var err error
-		if cf.client, err = NewClient(cf.url, cf.parent); err != nil {
+		if cf.client, err = NewClient(ctx, cf.url, cf.parent); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -61,9 +62,13 @@ func (cf *ClientFactory) GetClient(ctx context.Context) (*Client, error) {
 	// Execute a dummy call against the server to make sure the client is
 	// still functional. If not, try to log back in. If that doesn't work,
 	// we give up.
-	if _, err := methods.GetCurrentTime(ctx, cf.client.Client); err != nil {
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, cf.parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	if _, err := methods.GetCurrentTime(ctx1, cf.client.Client); err != nil {
 		log.Printf("I! [input.vsphere]: Client session seems to have time out. Reauthenticating!")
-		if cf.client.Client.SessionManager.Login(ctx, url.UserPassword(cf.parent.Username, cf.parent.Password)) != nil {
+		ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, cf.parent.Timeout.Duration)
+		defer cancel2()
+		if cf.client.Client.SessionManager.Login(ctx2, url.UserPassword(cf.parent.Username, cf.parent.Password)) != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -72,7 +77,7 @@ func (cf *ClientFactory) GetClient(ctx context.Context) (*Client, error) {
 }
 
 // NewClient creates a new vSphere client based on the url and setting passed as parameters.
-func NewClient(u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
+func NewClient(ctx context.Context, u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
 	sw := NewStopwatch("connect", u.Host)
 	tlsCfg, err := vs.ClientConfig.TLSConfig()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -85,7 +90,6 @@ func NewClient(u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
 	if vs.Username != "" {
 		u.User = url.UserPassword(vs.Username, vs.Password)
 	}
-	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	log.Printf("D! [input.vsphere]: Creating client: %s", u.Host)
 	soapClient := soap.NewClient(u, tlsCfg.InsecureSkipVerify)
@@ -103,7 +107,9 @@ func NewClient(u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	vimClient, err := vim25.NewClient(ctx, soapClient)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, vs.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	vimClient, err := vim25.NewClient(ctx1, soapClient)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -111,7 +117,9 @@ func NewClient(u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
 
 	// If TSLKey is specified, try to log in as an extension using a cert.
 	if vs.TLSKey != "" {
-		if err := sm.LoginExtensionByCertificate(ctx, vs.TLSKey); err != nil {
+		ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, vs.Timeout.Duration)
+		defer cancel2()
+		if err := sm.LoginExtensionByCertificate(ctx2, vs.TLSKey); err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
@@ -142,11 +150,12 @@ func NewClient(u *url.URL, vs *VSphere) (*Client, error) {
 	sw.Stop()
 
 	return &Client{
-		Client: c,
-		Views:  m,
-		Root:   v,
-		Perf:   p,
-		Valid:  true,
+		Client:  c,
+		Views:   m,
+		Root:    v,
+		Perf:    p,
+		Valid:   true,
+		Timeout: vs.Timeout.Duration,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -164,7 +173,8 @@ func (c *Client) close() {
 	// Use a Once to prevent us from panics stemming from trying
 	// to close it multiple times.
 	c.closeGate.Do(func() {
-		ctx := context.Background()
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), c.Timeout)
+		defer cancel()
 		if c.Client != nil {
 			if err := c.Client.Logout(ctx); err != nil {
 				log.Printf("E! [input.vsphere]: Error during logout: %s", err)
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
index 8c3795869..f052fefde 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/endpoint.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ type resourceKind struct {
 	objects          objectMap
 	filters          filter.Filter
 	collectInstances bool
-	getObjects       func(context.Context, *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error)
+	getObjects       func(context.Context, *Endpoint, *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error)
 }
 
 type metricEntry struct {
@@ -253,7 +253,9 @@ func (e *Endpoint) getMetricNameMap(ctx context.Context) (map[int32]string, erro
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	mn, err := client.Perf.CounterInfoByName(ctx)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	mn, err := client.Perf.CounterInfoByName(ctx1)
 
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -272,7 +274,9 @@ func (e *Endpoint) getMetadata(ctx context.Context, in interface{}) interface{}
 	}
 
 	rq := in.(*metricQRequest)
-	metrics, err := client.Perf.AvailableMetric(ctx, rq.obj.ref.Reference(), rq.res.sampling)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	metrics, err := client.Perf.AvailableMetric(ctx1, rq.obj.ref.Reference(), rq.res.sampling)
 	if err != nil && err != context.Canceled {
 		log.Printf("E! [input.vsphere]: Error while getting metric metadata. Discovery will be incomplete. Error: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -292,7 +296,9 @@ func (e *Endpoint) getDatacenterName(ctx context.Context, client *Client, cache
 		path = append(path, here.Reference().String())
 		o := object.NewCommon(client.Client.Client, r)
 		var result mo.ManagedEntity
-		err := o.Properties(ctx, here, []string{"parent", "name"}, &result)
+		ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+		defer cancel1()
+		err := o.Properties(ctx1, here, []string{"parent", "name"}, &result)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("W! [input.vsphere]: Error while resolving parent. Assuming no parent exists. Error: %s", err)
 			break
@@ -344,7 +350,7 @@ func (e *Endpoint) discover(ctx context.Context) error {
 		log.Printf("D! [input.vsphere] Discovering resources for %s", res.name)
 		// Need to do this for all resource types even if they are not enabled (but datastore)
 		if res.enabled || (k != "datastore" && k != "vm") {
-			objects, err := res.getObjects(ctx, client.Root)
+			objects, err := res.getObjects(ctx, e, client.Root)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -411,9 +417,11 @@ func (e *Endpoint) discover(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func getDatacenters(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
+func getDatacenters(ctx context.Context, e *Endpoint, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	var resources []mo.Datacenter
-	err := root.Retrieve(ctx, []string{"Datacenter"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	err := root.Retrieve(ctx1, []string{"Datacenter"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -425,9 +433,11 @@ func getDatacenters(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, e
 	return m, nil
 }
 
-func getClusters(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
+func getClusters(ctx context.Context, e *Endpoint, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	var resources []mo.ClusterComputeResource
-	err := root.Retrieve(ctx, []string{"ClusterComputeResource"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	err := root.Retrieve(ctx1, []string{"ClusterComputeResource"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -439,7 +449,9 @@ func getClusters(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, erro
 		if !ok {
 			o := object.NewFolder(root.Client(), *r.Parent)
 			var folder mo.Folder
-			err := o.Properties(ctx, *r.Parent, []string{"parent"}, &folder)
+			ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+			defer cancel2()
+			err := o.Properties(ctx2, *r.Parent, []string{"parent"}, &folder)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Printf("W! [input.vsphere] Error while getting folder parent: %e", err)
 				p = nil
@@ -455,7 +467,7 @@ func getClusters(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, erro
 	return m, nil
 }
 
-func getHosts(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
+func getHosts(ctx context.Context, e *Endpoint, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	var resources []mo.HostSystem
 	err := root.Retrieve(ctx, []string{"HostSystem"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -469,9 +481,11 @@ func getHosts(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error)
 	return m, nil
 }
 
-func getVMs(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
+func getVMs(ctx context.Context, e *Endpoint, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	var resources []mo.VirtualMachine
-	err := root.Retrieve(ctx, []string{"VirtualMachine"}, []string{"name", "runtime.host", "config.guestId", "config.uuid"}, &resources)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	err := root.Retrieve(ctx1, []string{"VirtualMachine"}, []string{"name", "runtime.host", "config.guestId", "config.uuid"}, &resources)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -491,9 +505,11 @@ func getVMs(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	return m, nil
 }
 
-func getDatastores(ctx context.Context, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
+func getDatastores(ctx context.Context, e *Endpoint, root *view.ContainerView) (objectMap, error) {
 	var resources []mo.Datastore
-	err := root.Retrieve(ctx, []string{"Datastore"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	err := root.Retrieve(ctx1, []string{"Datastore"}, []string{"name", "parent"}, &resources)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -696,17 +712,23 @@ func (e *Endpoint) collectChunk(ctx context.Context, pqs []types.PerfQuerySpec,
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
-	metricInfo, err := client.Perf.CounterInfoByName(ctx)
+	ctx1, cancel1 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel1()
+	metricInfo, err := client.Perf.CounterInfoByName(ctx1)
 	if err != nil {
 		return count, err
 	}
 
-	metrics, err := client.Perf.Query(ctx, pqs)
+	ctx2, cancel2 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel2()
+	metrics, err := client.Perf.Query(ctx2, pqs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return count, err
 	}
 
-	ems, err := client.Perf.ToMetricSeries(ctx, metrics)
+	ctx3, cancel3 := context.WithTimeout(ctx, e.Parent.Timeout.Duration)
+	defer cancel3()
+	ems, err := client.Perf.ToMetricSeries(ctx3, metrics)
 	if err != nil {
 		return count, err
 	}
diff --git a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
index 20c61d92b..3290da2e9 100644
--- a/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
+++ b/plugins/inputs/vsphere/vsphere_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
 	"sort"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
@@ -229,6 +230,27 @@ func TestWorkerPool(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	m, s, err := createSim()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer m.Remove()
+	defer s.Close()
+
+	var acc testutil.Accumulator
+	v := defaultVSphere()
+	v.Vcenters = []string{s.URL.String()}
+	v.Timeout = internal.Duration{Duration: 1 * time.Nanosecond}
+	require.NoError(t, v.Start(nil)) // We're not using the Accumulator, so it can be nil.
+	defer v.Stop()
+	require.NoError(t, v.Gather(&acc))
+
+	// The accumulator must contain exactly one error and it must be a deadline exceeded.
+	require.Equal(t, 1, len(acc.Errors))
+	require.True(t, strings.Contains(acc.Errors[0].Error(), "context deadline exceeded"))
+}
+
 func TestAll(t *testing.T) {
 	m, s, err := createSim()
 	if err != nil {