diff --git a/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts b/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
index da4457c08f1..513ab815132 100644
--- a/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
+++ b/src/vs/platform/request/electron-browser/requestService.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ export const xhrRequest: IRequestFunction = (options: IRequestOptions): TPromise
 				stream: new ArrayBufferStream(xhr.response)
 			});
 		};
+		xhr.ontimeout = e => reject(new Error(`XHR timeout: ${options.timeout}ms`));
 
 		if (options.timeout) {
 			xhr.timeout = options.timeout;
diff --git a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
index 37a3f7e5e1c..da0c0a10ffb 100644
--- a/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
+++ b/src/vs/workbench/parts/preferences/electron-browser/preferencesSearch.ts
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ class RemoteSearchProvider {
 				'Content-Type': 'application/json; charset=utf-8',
 				'api-key': endpoint.key
 			},
-			timeout: 4000
+			timeout: 5000
 		})
 			.then(context => {
 				if (context.res.statusCode >= 300) {