diff --git a/doc/net.example.Linux.in b/doc/net.example.Linux.in
index 709e201b..5d7c49fd 100644
--- a/doc/net.example.Linux.in
+++ b/doc/net.example.Linux.in
@@ -975,10 +975,12 @@
 # and you're done :)
 
 # By default we don't wait for netplug/ifplugd to configure the interface.
-# If you would like it to wait so that other services know that network is up
-# then you can specify a timeout here.
+# If you would like it to wait so that other services know that network is
+# up then you can specify a timeout here. A value of 0 means wait forever,
+# and a negative value means never wait.
+#plug_timeout_eth0="10"
+# If you want to set it for all interfaces:
 #plug_timeout="10"
-# A value of 0 means wait forever.
 
 # If you don't want to use netplug on a specific interface but you have it
 # installed, you can disable it for that interface via the modules statement
diff --git a/net/ifplugd.sh b/net/ifplugd.sh
index 9f6c8846..34cd18a5 100644
--- a/net/ifplugd.sh
+++ b/net/ifplugd.sh
@@ -51,7 +51,9 @@ ifplugd_pre_start()
 
 	eindent
 
+	# IFACE-specific, then global, then default
 	eval timeout=\$plug_timeout_${IFVAR}
+	[ -z "${timeout}" ] && timeout=$plug_timeout
 	[ -z "${timeout}" ] && timeout=-1
 	if [ ${timeout} -eq 0 ]; then
 		ewarn "WARNING: infinite timeout set for ${IFACE} to come up"
diff --git a/net/netplugd.sh b/net/netplugd.sh
index 8f36ef2d..23b6d9ea 100644
--- a/net/netplugd.sh
+++ b/net/netplugd.sh
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ netplugd_pre_start()
 
 	eindent
 
+	# IFACE-specific, then global, then default
 	eval timeout=\$plug_timeout_${IFVAR}
+	[ -z "${timeout}" ] && timeout=$plug_timeout
 	[ -z "${timeout}" ] && timeout=-1
 	if [ ${timeout} -eq 0 ]; then
 		ewarn "WARNING: infinite timeout set for ${IFACE} to come up"