diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index a4e8bb6972..ede605343b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -790,7 +790,13 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
                         if d.opt_get_social_metadata.isChecked():
                             d2 = SocialMetadata(book, self)
                             d2.exec_()
-                            if d2.exceptions:
+                            if d2.timed_out:
+                                warning_dialog(self, _('Timed out'),
+                                    _('The download of social'
+                                    ' metadata timed out, the servers are'
+                                    ' probably busy. Try again later.'),
+                                    show=True)
+                            elif d2.exceptions:
                                 det = '\n'.join([x[0]+'\n\n'+x[-1]+'\n\n\n' for
                                     x in d2.exceptions])
                                 warning_dialog(self, _('There were errors'),
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/social.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/social.py
index ad14ea05b0..5f66f12326 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/social.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/social.py
@@ -6,16 +6,19 @@ __license__   = 'GPL v3'
 __copyright__ = '2009, Kovid Goyal <kovid@kovidgoyal.net>'
 __docformat__ = 'restructuredtext en'
 
+import time
+from threading import Thread
 
 from PyQt4.Qt import QDialog, QDialogButtonBox, Qt, QLabel, QVBoxLayout, \
-        SIGNAL, QThread
+        QTimer
 
 from calibre.ebooks.metadata import MetaInformation
 
-class Worker(QThread):
+class Worker(Thread):
 
-    def __init__(self, mi, parent):
-        QThread.__init__(self, parent)
+    def __init__(self, mi):
+        Thread.__init__(self)
+        self.daemon = True
         self.mi = MetaInformation(mi)
         self.exceptions = []
 
@@ -25,10 +28,12 @@ class Worker(QThread):
 
 class SocialMetadata(QDialog):
 
+    TIMEOUT = 300 # seconds
+
     def __init__(self, mi, parent):
         QDialog.__init__(self, parent)
 
-        self.bbox = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Ok, Qt.Horizontal, self)
+        self.bbox = QDialogButtonBox(QDialogButtonBox.Cancel, Qt.Horizontal, self)
         self.mi = mi
         self.layout = QVBoxLayout(self)
         self.label = QLabel(_('Downloading social metadata, please wait...'), self)
@@ -36,15 +41,29 @@ class SocialMetadata(QDialog):
         self.layout.addWidget(self.label)
         self.layout.addWidget(self.bbox)
 
-        self.worker = Worker(mi, self)
-        self.connect(self.worker, SIGNAL('finished()'), self.accept)
-        self.connect(self.bbox, SIGNAL('rejected()'), self.reject)
+        self.worker = Worker(mi)
+        self.bbox.rejected.connect(self.reject)
         self.worker.start()
+        self.start_time = time.time()
+        self.timed_out = False
+        self.rejected = False
+        QTimer.singleShot(50, self.update)
 
     def reject(self):
-        self.disconnect(self.worker, SIGNAL('finished()'), self.accept)
+        self.rejected = True
         QDialog.reject(self)
 
+    def update(self):
+        if self.rejected:
+            return
+        if time.time() - self.start_time > self.TIMEOUT:
+            self.timed_out = True
+            self.reject()
+            return
+        if not self.worker.is_alive():
+            self.accept()
+        QTimer.singleShot(50, self.update)
+
     def accept(self):
         self.mi.tags = self.worker.mi.tags
         self.mi.rating = self.worker.mi.rating