diff --git a/completions/bash/crio b/completions/bash/crio
index f88112d2cac..8703f5e54af 100755
--- a/completions/bash/crio
+++ b/completions/bash/crio
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ h
 --storage-opt
 --stream-address
 --stream-enable-tls
+--stream-idle-timeout
 --stream-port
 --stream-tls-ca
 --stream-tls-cert
diff --git a/completions/fish/crio.fish b/completions/fish/crio.fish
index 9aef13f165d..d863b9603df 100644
--- a/completions/fish/crio.fish
+++ b/completions/fish/crio.fish
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l storage-driver -s s -r -d
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l storage-opt -r -d 'OCI storage driver option'
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l stream-address -r -d 'Bind address for streaming socket'
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l stream-enable-tls -d 'Enable encrypted TLS transport of the stream server (default: false)'
+complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l stream-idle-timeout -r -d 'Length of time until open streams terminate due to lack of activity'
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -f -l stream-port -r -d 'Bind port for streaming socket. If the port is set to \'0\', then CRI-O will allocate a random free port number.'
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -l stream-tls-ca -r -d 'Path to the x509 CA(s) file used to verify and authenticate client communication with the encrypted stream. This file can change and CRI-O will automatically pick up the changes within 5 minutes (default: "")'
 complete -c crio -n '__fish_crio_no_subcommand' -l stream-tls-cert -r -d 'Path to the x509 certificate file used to serve the encrypted stream. This file can change and CRI-O will automatically pick up the changes within 5 minutes (default: "")'
diff --git a/completions/zsh/_crio b/completions/zsh/_crio
index 3701f754bef..0aea3a378d6 100644
--- a/completions/zsh/_crio
+++ b/completions/zsh/_crio
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ it later with **--config**. Global options will modify the output.' 'version:dis
   _describe 'commands' cmds
 
   local -a opts
-  opts=('--additional-devices' '--apparmor-profile' '--big-files-temporary-dir' '--bind-mount-prefix' '--cgroup-manager' '--cni-config-dir' '--cni-default-network' '--cni-plugin-dir' '--config' '--config-dir' '--conmon' '--conmon-cgroup' '--conmon-env' '--container-attach-socket-dir' '--container-exits-dir' '--ctr-stop-timeout' '--decryption-keys-path' '--default-capabilities' '--default-env' '--default-mounts-file' '--default-runtime' '--default-sysctls' '--default-transport' '--default-ulimits' '--drop-infra-ctr' '--enable-metrics' '--enable-profile-unix-socket' '--gid-mappings' '--global-auth-file' '--grpc-max-recv-msg-size' '--grpc-max-send-msg-size' '--hooks-dir' '--image-volumes' '--infra-ctr-cpuset' '--insecure-registry' '--irqbalance-config-file' '--listen' '--log' '--log-dir' '--log-filter' '--log-format' '--log-journald' '--log-level' '--log-size-max' '--metrics-port' '--metrics-socket' '--namespaces-dir' '--no-pivot' '--pause-command' '--pause-image' '--pause-image-auth-file' '--pids-limit' '--pinns-path' '--profile' '--profile-port' '--read-only' '--registries-conf' '--registry' '--root' '--runroot' '--runtimes' '--seccomp-profile' '--seccomp-use-default-when-empty' '--selinux' '--separate-pull-cgroup' '--signature-policy' '--storage-driver' '--storage-opt' '--stream-address' '--stream-enable-tls' '--stream-port' '--stream-tls-ca' '--stream-tls-cert' '--stream-tls-key' '--uid-mappings' '--version-file' '--version-file-persist' '--help' '--version')
+  opts=('--additional-devices' '--apparmor-profile' '--big-files-temporary-dir' '--bind-mount-prefix' '--cgroup-manager' '--cni-config-dir' '--cni-default-network' '--cni-plugin-dir' '--config' '--config-dir' '--conmon' '--conmon-cgroup' '--conmon-env' '--container-attach-socket-dir' '--container-exits-dir' '--ctr-stop-timeout' '--decryption-keys-path' '--default-capabilities' '--default-env' '--default-mounts-file' '--default-runtime' '--default-sysctls' '--default-transport' '--default-ulimits' '--drop-infra-ctr' '--enable-metrics' '--enable-profile-unix-socket' '--gid-mappings' '--global-auth-file' '--grpc-max-recv-msg-size' '--grpc-max-send-msg-size' '--hooks-dir' '--image-volumes' '--infra-ctr-cpuset' '--insecure-registry' '--irqbalance-config-file' '--listen' '--log' '--log-dir' '--log-filter' '--log-format' '--log-journald' '--log-level' '--log-size-max' '--metrics-port' '--metrics-socket' '--namespaces-dir' '--no-pivot' '--pause-command' '--pause-image' '--pause-image-auth-file' '--pids-limit' '--pinns-path' '--profile' '--profile-port' '--read-only' '--registries-conf' '--registry' '--root' '--runroot' '--runtimes' '--seccomp-profile' '--seccomp-use-default-when-empty' '--selinux' '--separate-pull-cgroup' '--signature-policy' '--storage-driver' '--storage-opt' '--stream-address' '--stream-enable-tls' '--stream-idle-timeout' '--stream-port' '--stream-tls-ca' '--stream-tls-cert' '--stream-tls-key' '--uid-mappings' '--version-file' '--version-file-persist' '--help' '--version')
   _describe 'global options' opts
 
   return
diff --git a/docs/crio.8.md b/docs/crio.8.md
index ceb3d7fe0c4..5d6cfe3f4ad 100644
--- a/docs/crio.8.md
+++ b/docs/crio.8.md
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ crio
 [--storage-opt]=[value]
 [--stream-address]=[value]
 [--stream-enable-tls]
+[--stream-idle-timeout]=[value]
 [--stream-port]=[value]
 [--stream-tls-ca]=[value]
 [--stream-tls-cert]=[value]
@@ -296,6 +297,8 @@ crio [GLOBAL OPTIONS] command [COMMAND OPTIONS] [ARGUMENTS...]
 
 **--stream-enable-tls**: Enable encrypted TLS transport of the stream server (default: false)
 
+**--stream-idle-timeout**="": Length of time until open streams terminate due to lack of activity
+
 **--stream-port**="": Bind port for streaming socket. If the port is set to '0', then CRI-O will allocate a random free port number. (default: 0)
 
 **--stream-tls-ca**="": Path to the x509 CA(s) file used to verify and authenticate client communication with the encrypted stream. This file can change and CRI-O will automatically pick up the changes within 5 minutes (default: "")
diff --git a/docs/crio.conf.5.md b/docs/crio.conf.5.md
index 5fbf2c0ffb2..af2d1284735 100644
--- a/docs/crio.conf.5.md
+++ b/docs/crio.conf.5.md
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ The `crio.api` table contains settings for the kubelet/gRPC interface.
 **stream_enable_tls**=false
   Enable encrypted TLS transport of the stream server.
 
+**stream_idle_timeout**=""
+  Length of time until open streams terminate due to lack of activity.
+
 **stream_tls_cert**=""
   Path to the x509 certificate file used to serve the encrypted stream. This file can change and CRI-O will automatically pick up the changes within 5 minutes.
 
diff --git a/internal/criocli/criocli.go b/internal/criocli/criocli.go
index d38720c8291..14dc18a3830 100644
--- a/internal/criocli/criocli.go
+++ b/internal/criocli/criocli.go
@@ -272,6 +272,9 @@ func mergeConfig(config *libconfig.Config, ctx *cli.Context) error {
 	if ctx.IsSet("stream-tls-key") {
 		config.StreamTLSKey = ctx.String("stream-tls-key")
 	}
+	if ctx.IsSet("stream-idle-timeout") {
+		config.StreamIdleTimeout = ctx.String("stream-idle-timeout")
+	}
 	if ctx.IsSet("version-file") {
 		config.VersionFile = ctx.String("version-file")
 	}
@@ -789,6 +792,11 @@ func getCrioFlags(defConf *libconfig.Config) []cli.Flag {
 			EnvVars:   []string{"CONTAINER_TLS_KEY"},
 			TakesFile: true,
 		},
+		&cli.StringFlag{
+			Name:    "stream-idle-timeout",
+			Usage:   "Length of time until open streams terminate due to lack of activity",
+			EnvVars: []string{"STREAM_IDLE_TIMEOUT"},
+		},
 		&cli.StringFlag{
 			Name:        "registries-conf",
 			Usage:       "path to the registries.conf file",
diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 6e4272df56c..b185ca76916 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ type APIConfig struct {
 	// StreamTLSCA is the x509 CA(s) file used to verify and authenticate client
 	// communication with the tls encrypted stream
 	StreamTLSCA string `toml:"stream_tls_ca"`
+
+	// StreamIdleTimeout is how long to leave idle connections open for
+	StreamIdleTimeout string `toml:"stream_idle_timeout"`
 }
 
 // MetricsConfig specifies all necessary configuration for Prometheus based
diff --git a/pkg/config/template.go b/pkg/config/template.go
index 9a9032422f2..2b96ef9af0c 100644
--- a/pkg/config/template.go
+++ b/pkg/config/template.go
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ stream_port = "{{ .StreamPort }}"
 # Enable encrypted TLS transport of the stream server.
 stream_enable_tls = {{ .StreamEnableTLS }}
 
+# Length of time until open streams terminate due to lack of activity
+stream_idle_timeout = "{{.StreamIdleTimeout}}"
+
 # Path to the x509 certificate file used to serve the encrypted stream. This
 # file can change, and CRI-O will automatically pick up the changes within 5
 # minutes.
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 29a3325c0b8..e26a6adaee4 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -399,6 +399,14 @@ func New(
 
 	// Prepare streaming server
 	streamServerConfig := streaming.DefaultConfig
+	if config.StreamIdleTimeout != "" {
+		idleTimeout, err := time.ParseDuration(config.StreamIdleTimeout)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, errors.New("unable to parse timeout as duration")
+		}
+
+		streamServerConfig.StreamIdleTimeout = idleTimeout
+	}
 	streamServerConfig.Addr = net.JoinHostPort(bindAddressStr, config.StreamPort)
 	if config.StreamEnableTLS {
 		certCache := &certConfigCache{
diff --git a/server/server_test.go b/server/server_test.go
index c1e136ee7d6..81a867bb25c 100644
--- a/server/server_test.go
+++ b/server/server_test.go
@@ -206,6 +206,22 @@ var _ = t.Describe("Server", func() {
 			Expect(err).NotTo(BeNil())
 			Expect(server).To(BeNil())
 		})
+		It("should fail with invalid timeout duration", func() {
+			mockNewServer()
+			serverConfig.StreamIdleTimeout = "invalid duration"
+
+			server, err := server.New(context.Background(), libMock)
+			Expect(err).NotTo(BeNil())
+			Expect(server).To(BeNil())
+		})
+		It("should succeed to set a valid timeout duration", func() {
+			mockNewServer()
+			serverConfig.StreamIdleTimeout = "200ms"
+
+			server, err := server.New(context.Background(), libMock)
+			Expect(err).To(BeNil())
+			Expect(server).ToNot(BeNil())
+		})
 	})
 
 	t.Describe("CreateMetricsEndpoint", func() {
diff --git a/server/streaming/streaming.go b/server/streaming/streaming.go
index 954411817ad..a6e63264c73 100644
--- a/server/streaming/streaming.go
+++ b/server/streaming/streaming.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ type Config struct {
 // DefaultConfig provides default values for server Config. The DefaultConfig is partial, so
 // some fields like Addr must still be provided.
 var DefaultConfig = Config{
-	StreamIdleTimeout:               4 * time.Hour,
+	StreamIdleTimeout:               15 * time.Minute,
 	StreamCreationTimeout:           remotecommandconsts.DefaultStreamCreationTimeout,
 	SupportedRemoteCommandProtocols: remotecommandconsts.SupportedStreamingProtocols,
 	SupportedPortForwardProtocols:   portforward.SupportedProtocols,