diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io.rb b/lib/celluloid/io.rb
index 044ae11..c0231c2 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 require "celluloid/io/version"
 
+require "io/wait"
 require "celluloid"
 require "celluloid/io/dns_resolver"
 require "celluloid/io/mailbox"
@@ -47,25 +48,41 @@ def self.copy_stream(src, dst, copy_length = nil, src_offset = nil)
       end
     end
 
-    def wait_readable(io)
+    def wait_readable(io, timeout=nil)
       io = io.to_io
       if IO.evented?
         mailbox = Thread.current[:celluloid_mailbox]
-        mailbox.reactor.wait_readable(io)
+        mailbox.reactor.wait_readable(io, timeout)
       else
-        Kernel.select([io])
+        # hack because SSLSocket does not have the methods defined
+        if io.respond_to?(:wait_readable) && 
+           # TCP* and UNIXServer always throws EINVAL exception in Linux when using #wait_readable, 
+           # upstream to ruby!
+           !(io.is_a?(::TCPServer) || io.is_a?(::UNIXServer)) 
+          io.wait_readable(timeout)
+        else
+          Kernel.select([io], nil, nil, timeout)
+        end
       end
       nil
     end
     module_function :wait_readable
 
-    def wait_writable(io)
+    def wait_writable(io, timeout=nil)
       io = io.to_io
       if IO.evented?
         mailbox = Thread.current[:celluloid_mailbox]
-        mailbox.reactor.wait_writable(io)
+        mailbox.reactor.wait_writable(io, timeout)
       else
-        Kernel.select([], [io])
+        # hack because SSLSocket does not have the methods defined
+        if io.respond_to?(:wait_writable) &&
+           # TCP* and UNIXServer always throws EINVAL exception in Linux when using #wait_readable, 
+           # upstream to ruby!
+           !(io.is_a?(::TCPServer) || io.is_a?(::UNIXServer)) 
+          io.wait_writable(timeout)
+        else
+          Kernel.select([], [io], nil, timeout)
+        end
       end
       nil
     end
diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io/reactor.rb b/lib/celluloid/io/reactor.rb
index 11278ea..68c301b 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io/reactor.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io/reactor.rb
@@ -17,17 +17,17 @@ def initialize
       end
 
       # Wait for the given IO object to become readable
-      def wait_readable(io)
-        wait io, :r
+      def wait_readable(io, timeout=nil)
+        wait io, :r, timeout
       end
 
       # Wait for the given IO object to become writable
-      def wait_writable(io)
-        wait io, :w
+      def wait_writable(io, timeout=nil)
+        wait io, :w, timeout
       end
 
       # Wait for the given IO operation to complete
-      def wait(io, set)
+      def wait(io, set, timeout=nil)
         # zomg ugly type conversion :(
         unless io.is_a?(::IO) || io.is_a?(OpenSSL::SSL::SSLSocket)
           if io.respond_to? :to_io
@@ -43,7 +43,14 @@ def wait(io, set)
         monitor.value = Task.current
 
         begin
-          Task.suspend :iowait
+          # this condition is actually superflous; Timeout.timeout method signature is not respected
+          # by Celluloid:Actor#timeout; Timeout.timeout has arity 2 and can receive nil; the first one
+          # is already addressed in a PR in github
+          if timeout 
+            Thread.current[:celluloid_actor].send(:timeout, timeout) { Task.suspend :iowait }
+          else
+            Task.suspend :iowait
+          end
         ensure
           # In all cases we want to ensure that the monitor is closed once we
           # have woken up. However, in some cases, the monitor is already
diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io/socket.rb b/lib/celluloid/io/socket.rb
index 9bd369a..8747ebb 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io/socket.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io/socket.rb
@@ -70,6 +70,26 @@ def self.try_convert(socket, convert_io = true)
         end
       end
 
+      # io/wait API, it belongs here as it is extended on all IOs
+
+      def_delegators :@socket, :ready?, :nread
+      # Wait until the current object is readable
+      def wait_readable(timeout=nil)
+        Celluloid::IO.wait_readable(self, timeout)
+        self
+      rescue Celluloid::TaskTimeout => e
+        raise e unless timeout
+      end
+      alias_method :wait, :wait_readable
+
+      # Wait until the current object is writable
+      def wait_writable(timeout=nil)
+        Celluloid::IO.wait_writable(self, timeout)
+        self
+      rescue Celluloid::TaskTimeout => e
+        raise e unless timeout
+      end
+
       class << self
         extend Forwardable
         def_delegators '::Socket', *(::Socket.methods - self.methods - [:try_convert])
diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io/stream.rb b/lib/celluloid/io/stream.rb
index b9f6185..fa3b0b2 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io/stream.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io/stream.rb
@@ -27,12 +27,6 @@ def initialize(socket)
         @write_latch = Latch.new
       end
 
-      # Wait until the current object is readable
-      def wait_readable; Celluloid::IO.wait_readable(self); end
-
-      # Wait until the current object is writable
-      def wait_writable; Celluloid::IO.wait_writable(self); end
-
       # System read via the nonblocking subsystem
       def sysread(length = nil, buffer = nil)
         buffer ||= ''.force_encoding(Encoding::ASCII_8BIT)
diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io/tcp_server.rb b/lib/celluloid/io/tcp_server.rb
index e0e955a..e9ce115 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io/tcp_server.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io/tcp_server.rb
@@ -33,12 +33,12 @@ def initialize(*args)
 
       # @return [TCPSocket]
       def accept
-        Celluloid::IO.wait_readable(to_io)
         accept_nonblock
       end
 
       # @return [TCPSocket]
       def accept_nonblock
+        Celluloid::IO.wait_readable(to_io)
         Celluloid::IO::TCPSocket.new(to_io.accept_nonblock)
       end
 
diff --git a/lib/celluloid/io/udp_socket.rb b/lib/celluloid/io/udp_socket.rb
index b2edc36..6607800 100644
--- a/lib/celluloid/io/udp_socket.rb
+++ b/lib/celluloid/io/udp_socket.rb
@@ -24,9 +24,6 @@ def initialize(*args)
         end
       end
 
-      # Wait until the socket is readable
-      def wait_readable; Celluloid::IO.wait_readable(self); end
-
       # Receives up to maxlen bytes from socket. flags is zero or more of the
       # MSG_ options. The first element of the results, mesg, is the data
       # received. The second element, sender_addrinfo, contains
diff --git a/spec/celluloid/io/reactor_spec.rb b/spec/celluloid/io/reactor_spec.rb
index fcbf386..54103a4 100644
--- a/spec/celluloid/io/reactor_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/celluloid/io/reactor_spec.rb
@@ -5,35 +5,35 @@
   let(:example_port) { assign_port }
 
   it "shouldn't crash" do
-    server = ::TCPServer.new example_addr, example_port
+    begin
+      server = ::TCPServer.new example_addr, example_port
+      thread = Thread.new { server.accept }
+      socket = within_io_actor { Celluloid::IO::TCPSocket.new example_addr, example_port }
+      peer = thread.value
+      peer_thread = Thread.new { loop { peer << payload } }
+      handle = false
 
-    thread = Thread.new { server.accept }
-
-    socket = within_io_actor { Celluloid::IO::TCPSocket.new example_addr, example_port }
-    peer = thread.value
-    peer_thread = Thread.new { loop { peer << payload } }
-    handle = false
-
-    # Main server body:
-    within_io_actor do
-      begin
-        timeout(2) do
-          loop do
-            socket.readpartial(2046)
+      # Main server body:
+      within_io_actor do
+        begin
+          timeout(2) do
+            loop do
+              socket.readpartial(2046)
+            end
           end
+        # rescuing timeout, ok. rescuing terminated exception, is it ok? TODO: investigate
+        rescue Celluloid::TaskTerminated, Celluloid::TaskTimeout, Timeout::Error
+        ensure
+          socket.readpartial(2046)
+          handle = true
         end
-      # rescuing timeout, ok. rescuing terminated exception, is it ok? TODO: investigate
-      rescue Celluloid::TaskTerminated, Celluloid::TaskTimeout, Timeout::Error
-      ensure
-        socket.readpartial(2046)
-        handle = true
       end
-    end
 
-    expect(handle).to be_truthy
-
-    server.close
-    peer.close
-    socket.close
+      expect(handle).to be_truthy
+    ensure
+      server.close
+      peer.close
+      socket.close
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_server_spec.rb b/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_server_spec.rb
index f18b1fa..4e65776 100644
--- a/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_server_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_server_spec.rb
@@ -78,14 +78,4 @@
       end
     end
   end
-
-  def with_ssl_server(port, raw_server = nil)
-    raw_server ||= Celluloid::IO::TCPServer.new(example_addr, port)
-    server = Celluloid::IO::SSLServer.new(raw_server, server_context)
-    begin
-      yield server
-    ensure
-      server.close
-    end
-  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_socket_spec.rb b/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_socket_spec.rb
index 327b773..1f294f1 100644
--- a/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_socket_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/celluloid/io/ssl_socket_spec.rb
@@ -239,4 +239,53 @@ def with_raw_sockets
       peer.close
     end
   end
+
+  context "io/wait API" do
+    let(:payload) { "ohai" }
+    describe "#wait_readable/wait_writable" do
+      it "can timeout on descriptors wait" do
+        class WaiterActor
+          include Celluloid::IO
+          def send_later(socket)
+            peer = socket.accept
+            after(2) { peer.write "1" }
+            peer
+          end
+        end
+        with_ssl_server(example_port) do |subject|
+          thread = Thread.new do
+            raw = TCPSocket.new(example_addr, example_port)
+            Celluloid::IO::SSLSocket.new(raw, client_context).connect
+          end
+          actor = WaiterActor.new
+          begin
+            within_io_actor do
+              # wait_wirtable
+              # if wait_writable(t) timeouts, it returns nil
+              # expect(subject.wait_writable(0.2)).to be_nil
+              peer = actor.send_later(subject)
+              client = thread.value
+              # wait_writable() is successfully, it returns the socket
+              expect(client.wait_writable).to be(client)
+         
+              # wait_readable
+              client.write payload
+              expect(peer.read(payload.size)).to eq payload # confirm the client read
+              # waiter actor sends info after 2 seconds
+              # there is the assumption here that after 0.2,
+              # there is not yet anything to read
+              # as all timer specs, some variations might occur, but 0.2 to 2 must be reasonable
+              expect(client.wait_readable(0.2)).to be_nil
+              expect(client.wait_readable).to be(client)
+              expect(client.read_nonblock(2)).to eq "1"
+            end
+          ensure
+            actor.terminate if actor.alive?
+          end
+        end
+      end      
+    
+    end
+  end
+
 end
diff --git a/spec/celluloid/io/tcp_socket_spec.rb b/spec/celluloid/io/tcp_socket_spec.rb
index aaba86f..2de3ff4 100644
--- a/spec/celluloid/io/tcp_socket_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/celluloid/io/tcp_socket_spec.rb
@@ -238,5 +238,50 @@
         expect(peer.read(payload.size)).to eq payload
       end
     end
+
+    context "io/wait API" do
+      describe "#wait_readable/wait_writable" do
+        it "can timeout on descriptors wait" do
+          class WaiterActor
+            include Celluloid::IO
+            def send_later(socket)
+              peer = socket.accept
+              after(2) { peer.write "1" }
+              peer
+            end
+          end
+          with_tcp_server(example_port) do |subject|
+            thread = Thread.new { Celluloid::IO::TCPSocket.new(example_addr, example_port) }
+            actor = WaiterActor.new
+            begin
+              within_io_actor do
+                # wait_wirtable
+                # if wait_writable(t) timeouts, it returns nil
+                expect(subject.wait_writable(0.2)).to be_nil
+                peer = actor.send_later(subject)
+                client = thread.value
+                # wait_writable() is successfully, it returns the socket
+                expect(client.wait_writable).to be(client)
+           
+                # wait_readable
+                client.write payload
+                expect(peer.read(payload.size)).to eq payload # confirm the client read
+                # waiter actor sends info after 2 seconds
+                # there is the assumption here that after 0.2,
+                # there is not yet anything to read
+                # as all timer specs, some variations might occur, but 0.2 to 2 must be reasonable
+                expect(client.wait_readable(0.2)).to be_nil
+                expect(client.wait_readable).to be(client)
+                expect(client.read_nonblock(2)).to eq "1"
+              end
+            ensure
+              actor.terminate if actor.alive?
+            end
+          end
+        end      
+      
+      end
+    end
+
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/celluloid/io/unix_socket_spec.rb b/spec/celluloid/io/unix_socket_spec.rb
index 61fddea..5ec363f 100644
--- a/spec/celluloid/io/unix_socket_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/celluloid/io/unix_socket_spec.rb
@@ -200,4 +200,48 @@
     end
   end
 
+  context "io/wait API" do
+    describe "#wait_readable/wait_writable" do
+      it "can timeout on descriptors wait" do
+        class WaiterActor
+          include Celluloid::IO
+          def send_later(socket)
+            peer = socket.accept
+            after(2) { peer.write "1" }
+            peer
+          end
+        end
+        with_unix_server do |subject|
+          thread = Thread.new { Celluloid::IO::UNIXSocket.new(example_unix_sock) }
+          actor = WaiterActor.new
+          begin
+            within_io_actor do
+              # wait_writable
+              # if wait_writable(t) timeouts, it returns nil
+              # ATTENTION: UNIX Servers seem to be writable all the time. How to test wait_writable(timeout)?
+              # expect(subject.wait_writable(0.2)).to be_nil
+              peer = actor.send_later(subject)
+              client = thread.value
+              # wait_writable() is successfully, it returns the socket
+              expect(client.wait_writable).to be(client)
+         
+              # wait_readable
+              client.write payload
+              expect(peer.read(payload.size)).to eq payload # confirm the client read
+              # waiter actor sends info after 2 seconds
+              # there is the assumption here that after 0.2,
+              # there is not yet anything to read
+              # as all timer specs, some variations might occur, but 0.2 to 2 must be reasonable
+              expect(client.wait_readable(0.2)).to be_nil
+              expect(client.wait_readable).to be(client)
+              expect(client.read_nonblock(2)).to eq "1"
+            end
+          ensure
+            actor.terminate if actor.alive?
+          end
+        end
+      end      
+    
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/support/examples/methods.rb b/spec/support/examples/methods.rb
index 2a65916..24173a0 100644
--- a/spec/support/examples/methods.rb
+++ b/spec/support/examples/methods.rb
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@ def with_unix_server
   end
 end
 
+def with_ssl_server(port, raw_server = nil)
+  raw_server ||= Celluloid::IO::TCPServer.new(example_addr, port)
+  server = Celluloid::IO::SSLServer.new(raw_server, server_context)
+  begin
+    yield server
+  ensure
+    server.close
+  end
+end
+
 def with_connected_sockets(port)
   with_tcp_server(port) do |server|
     client = Celluloid::IO::TCPSocket.new(example_addr, port)