diff --git a/benchmarks/AutoClusterBenchmark/Program.cs b/benchmarks/AutoClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
index ad1086342f..4683571668 100644
--- a/benchmarks/AutoClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
+++ b/benchmarks/AutoClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
@@ -29,15 +29,16 @@ public static class Program
     private static object Request = new HelloRequest();
 
     public static async Task Main(string[] args)
-    { 
+    {
         ThreadPool.SetMinThreads(0, 0);
-        foreach (var batchSize in new[] { 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 })
+
+        foreach (var batchSize in new[] {100, 150, 200, 250, 300})
         {
             Configuration.ResetAgent();
             ResetCounters();
-                
+
             var cluster = await Configuration.SpawnClient();
-                
+
             var elapsed = await RunWorkers(() => new RunMemberInProcGraceful(), () => RunBatchClient(batchSize, cluster));
             var tps = requestCount / elapsed.TotalMilliseconds * 1000;
             Console.WriteLine();
@@ -47,7 +48,7 @@ public static async Task Main(string[] args)
             Console.WriteLine($"Failures:\t{failureCount:N0}");
             Console.WriteLine($"Throughput:\t{tps:N0} requests/sec -> {(tps * 2):N0} msg/sec");
             await cluster.ShutdownAsync();
-                
+
             await Task.Delay(5000);
         }
     }
@@ -70,11 +71,10 @@ private static async Task SendRequest(Cluster cluster, ClusterIdentity id, Cance
 
         try
         {
-                
-            var x = await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, Request, context, cancellationToken);
-
-            if (x != null)
+            try
             {
+                await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, Request, context, cancellationToken);
+
                 var res = Interlocked.Increment(ref successCount);
 
                 if (res % 10000 == 0)
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ private static async Task SendRequest(Cluster cluster, ClusterIdentity id, Cance
 
                 return;
             }
+            catch (TimeoutException)
+            {
+                // ignored                
+            }
 
             OnError();
         }
@@ -109,16 +113,16 @@ void OnError()
     private static void RunBatchClient(int batchSize, Cluster cluster)
     {
         var identities = new ClusterIdentity[actorCount];
+
         for (var i = 0; i < actorCount; i++)
         {
             var id = "myactor" + i;
-            identities[i] = ClusterIdentity.Create(id,"hello");
+            identities[i] = ClusterIdentity.Create(id, "hello");
         }
-            
+
         var logger = Log.CreateLogger(nameof(Program));
 
         _ = SafeTask.Run(() => {
-                   
                 var rnd = new Random();
                 var semaphore = new AsyncSemaphore(5);
 
@@ -139,7 +143,8 @@ async Task RunBatch(Random? rnd, Cluster cluster)
             {
                 var ct = CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(20);
 
-                var ctx = cluster.System.Root.CreateBatchContext(batchSize,ct);
+                var ctx = cluster.System.Root.CreateBatchContext(batchSize, ct);
+
                 for (var i = 0; i < batchSize; i++)
                 {
                     var id = identities[rnd!.Next(0, actorCount)];
diff --git a/benchmarks/ClusterBenchmark/Program.cs b/benchmarks/ClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
index f20401898e..c73273ef72 100644
--- a/benchmarks/ClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
+++ b/benchmarks/ClusterBenchmark/Program.cs
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ public static async Task Main(string[] args)
         if (args.Length > 0)
         {
             // InteractiveOutput = args[0] == "1";
-                
+
             var l = typeof(Program).Assembly.Location;
             Console.WriteLine($"Worker running {l}");
             var worker = await Configuration.SpawnMember();
             AppDomain.CurrentDomain.ProcessExit += (sender, args) => { worker.ShutdownAsync().Wait(); };
             Thread.Sleep(Timeout.Infinite);
-                
+
             return;
         }
 
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ public static async Task Main(string[] args)
 
     private static void RunNoopClient()
     {
-            
     }
 
     private static void RunFireForgetClient()
@@ -166,6 +165,7 @@ private static void RunFireForgetClient()
                 var cluster = await Configuration.SpawnClient();
                 // var rnd = new Random();
                 var i = 0;
+
                 while (true)
                 {
                     var id = "myactor" + (i++ % actorCount);
@@ -186,10 +186,10 @@ private static async Task SendRequest(Cluster cluster, ClusterIdentity id, Cance
 
         try
         {
-            var x = await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, Request, context, cancellationToken);
-
-            if (x != null)
+            try
             {
+                await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, Request, context, cancellationToken);
+
                 var res = Interlocked.Increment(ref successCount);
 
                 if (res % 10000 == 0)
@@ -201,6 +201,10 @@ private static async Task SendRequest(Cluster cluster, ClusterIdentity id, Cance
 
                 return;
             }
+            catch (TimeoutException)
+            {
+                // ignored                
+            }
 
             OnError();
         }
@@ -218,7 +222,7 @@ void OnError()
             Console.ResetColor();
         }
     }
-        
+
     private static async Task<bool> SendRequest(Cluster cluster, string id, CancellationToken cancellationToken, ISenderContext? context = null)
     {
         Interlocked.Increment(ref requestCount);
@@ -230,10 +234,10 @@ private static async Task<bool> SendRequest(Cluster cluster, string id, Cancella
 
         try
         {
-            var x = await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, "hello", Request, context, cancellationToken);
-
-            if (x != null)
+            try
             {
+                await cluster.RequestAsync<object>(id, "hello", Request, context, cancellationToken);
+
                 var res = Interlocked.Increment(ref successCount);
 
                 if (res % 10000 == 0)
@@ -245,6 +249,10 @@ private static async Task<bool> SendRequest(Cluster cluster, string id, Cancella
 
                 return true;
             }
+            catch (TimeoutException)
+            {
+                // ignored                
+            }
 
             OnError();
         }
@@ -268,12 +276,13 @@ void OnError()
     private static void RunBatchClient(int batchSize)
     {
         var identities = new ClusterIdentity[actorCount];
+
         for (var i = 0; i < actorCount; i++)
         {
             var id = "myactor" + i;
-            identities[i] = ClusterIdentity.Create(id,"hello");
+            identities[i] = ClusterIdentity.Create(id, "hello");
         }
-            
+
         var logger = Log.CreateLogger(nameof(Program));
 
         _ = SafeTask.Run(async () => {
@@ -281,6 +290,7 @@ private static void RunBatchClient(int batchSize)
                 // var rnd = new Random();
                 var semaphore = new AsyncSemaphore(5);
                 var i = 0;
+
                 while (true)
                 {
                     var b = i;
@@ -298,7 +308,8 @@ async Task RunBatch(int startIndex, Cluster cluster)
             {
                 var ct = CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(20);
 
-                var ctx = cluster.System.Root.CreateBatchContext(batchSize,ct);
+                var ctx = cluster.System.Root.CreateBatchContext(batchSize, ct);
+
                 for (var i = 0; i < batchSize; i++)
                 {
                     var id = identities[(startIndex + i) % identities.Length];
@@ -315,7 +326,7 @@ async Task RunBatch(int startIndex, Cluster cluster)
             }
         }
     }
-        
+
     private static void RunDebugClient()
     {
         var logger = Log.CreateLogger(nameof(Program));
@@ -332,7 +343,7 @@ private static void RunDebugClient()
 
                     if (!res)
                     {
-                        var pid = await cluster.GetAsync(ClusterIdentity.Create(id,"hello"),CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(10));
+                        var pid = await cluster.GetAsync(ClusterIdentity.Create(id, "hello"), CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(10));
 
                         if (pid != null)
                         {
diff --git a/benchmarks/ClusterMicroBenchmarks/ConcurrentSpawnBenchmark.cs b/benchmarks/ClusterMicroBenchmarks/ConcurrentSpawnBenchmark.cs
index 148f91512d..ca3a72754d 100644
--- a/benchmarks/ClusterMicroBenchmarks/ConcurrentSpawnBenchmark.cs
+++ b/benchmarks/ClusterMicroBenchmarks/ConcurrentSpawnBenchmark.cs
@@ -96,7 +96,19 @@ public void RemoveActivations()
             tasks[i] = _cluster.RequestAsync<Terminated>(id, PoisonPill.Instance, cts.Token);
         }
 
-        Task.WhenAll(tasks).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+        try
+        {
+            Task.WhenAll(tasks).GetAwaiter().GetResult();
+        }
+        catch (TimeoutException)
+        {
+            // ignore
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            Console.WriteLine(e);
+            throw;
+        }
     }
 
     public enum IdentityLookup
diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen/Template.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen/Template.cs
index caa8e3760e..e4889c6bc7 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen/Template.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen/Template.cs
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ public class {{Name}}Client
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => {{#if UseReturn}}({{OutputName}}?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage{{else}}Nothing.Instance{{/if}},
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($""Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}"")
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public class {{Name}}Client
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => {{#if UseReturn}}({{OutputName}}?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage{{else}}Nothing.Instance{{/if}},
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($""Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}"")
diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster/ClusterConfig.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster/ClusterConfig.cs
index 39293072c0..09f3bb933c 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster/ClusterConfig.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster/ClusterConfig.cs
@@ -156,6 +156,12 @@ private ClusterConfig(string clusterName, IClusterProvider clusterProvider, IIde
     /// </summary>
     public PubSubConfig PubSubConfig { get; init; } = PubSubConfig.Setup();
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Backwards compatibility. Set to true to have timed out requests return default(TResponse) instead of throwing <see cref="TimeoutException"/>
+    /// Default is false.
+    /// </summary>
+    public bool LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior { get; init; }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Timeout for spawning an actor in the Partition Identity Lookup. Default is 5s.
     /// </summary>
@@ -326,6 +332,13 @@ public ClusterConfig WithHeartbeatExpiration(TimeSpan expiration) =>
     public ClusterConfig WithPubSubConfig(PubSubConfig config) =>
         this with {PubSubConfig = config};
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Backwards compatibility. Set to true to have timed out requests return default(TResponse) instead of throwing <see cref="TimeoutException"/>
+    /// Default is false.
+    /// </summary>
+    public ClusterConfig WithLegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior(bool enabled = true) =>
+        this with {LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior = enabled};
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Creates a new <see cref="ClusterConfig"/>
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
index b97058b232..2dd9d5dfca 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster/DefaultClusterContext.cs
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ public class DefaultClusterContext : IClusterContext
     private readonly ActorSystem _system;
     private static readonly ILogger Logger = Log.CreateLogger<DefaultClusterContext>();
     private readonly int _requestTimeoutSeconds;
+    private readonly bool _legacyTimeouts;
 
     public DefaultClusterContext(Cluster cluster)
     {
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ public DefaultClusterContext(Cluster cluster)
             i => Logger.LogInformation("Throttled {LogCount} TryRequestAsync logs", i)
         );
         _requestTimeoutSeconds = (int) config.ActorRequestTimeout.TotalSeconds;
+        _legacyTimeouts = config.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior;
 #if !NET6_0_OR_GREATER
         var updateInterval = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(Math.Min(config.ActorRequestTimeout.TotalMilliseconds / 2, 1000));
         _clock = new TaskClock(config.ActorRequestTimeout, updateInterval, cluster.System.Shutdown);
@@ -110,15 +112,14 @@ public DefaultClusterContext(Cluster cluster)
                             return t1;
                         }
 
-                        if (typeof(T) == typeof(MessageEnvelope))
+                        if (untypedResult == null) // timeout, actual valid response cannot be null 
                         {
-                            return (T) (object) MessageEnvelope.Wrap(task.Result);
+                            return TimeoutOrThrow();
                         }
 
-                        if (untypedResult == null)
+                        if (typeof(T) == typeof(MessageEnvelope))
                         {
-                            //null = timeout
-                            return default;
+                            return (T) (object) MessageEnvelope.Wrap(task.Result);
                         }
 
                         if (untypedResult is DeadLetterResponse)
@@ -199,7 +200,7 @@ public DefaultClusterContext(Cluster cluster)
                 Logger.LogWarning("RequestAsync retried but failed for {ClusterIdentity}", clusterIdentity);
             }
 
-            return default!;
+            return TimeoutOrThrow();
         }
         finally
         {
@@ -212,6 +213,17 @@ void RefreshFuture()
             future = context.GetFuture();
             lastPid = null;
         }
+
+        T? TimeoutOrThrow()
+        {
+            if (_legacyTimeouts)
+            {
+                //null = timeout
+                return default;
+            }
+
+            throw new TimeoutException("Request timed out");
+        }
     }
 
     private async ValueTask RemoveFromSource(ClusterIdentity clusterIdentity, PidSource source, PID pid)
diff --git a/src/Proto.Cluster/IClusterProvider.cs b/src/Proto.Cluster/IClusterProvider.cs
index b60ff4626f..a78bcfd1c3 100644
--- a/src/Proto.Cluster/IClusterProvider.cs
+++ b/src/Proto.Cluster/IClusterProvider.cs
@@ -23,7 +23,8 @@ public interface IClusterProvider
     Task StartMemberAsync(Cluster cluster);
 
     /// <summary>
-    /// Starts the cluster provider in client mode. The client member does not support any kinds.
+    /// Starts the cluster provider in client mode. The client member does not host any virtual actors and it is not registered in the membership provider.
+    /// It only monitors other member's presence and allows to send messages to virtual actors hosted by other members.
     /// </summary>
     /// <param name="cluster"></param>
     /// <returns></returns>
diff --git a/tests/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen.Tests/ExpectedOutput.cs b/tests/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen.Tests/ExpectedOutput.cs
index eea3ee2a5e..3025d17033 100644
--- a/tests/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen.Tests/ExpectedOutput.cs
+++ b/tests/Proto.Cluster.CodeGen.Tests/ExpectedOutput.cs
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => (Acme.Mysystem.Bar.GetCurrentStateResponse?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => (Acme.Mysystem.Bar.GetCurrentStateResponse?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => Nothing.Instance,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => Nothing.Instance,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => (Acme.Mysystem.Bar.Response?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => (Acme.Mysystem.Bar.Response?)grainResponse.ResponseMessage,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => Nothing.Instance,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ public TestGrainClient(Cluster cluster, string id)
                 GrainResponseMessage grainResponse => Nothing.Instance,
                 // error response
                 GrainErrorResponse grainErrorResponse => throw new Exception(grainErrorResponse.Err),
-                //timeout
+                // timeout (when enabled by ClusterConfig.LegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior), othwerwise TimeoutException is thrown
                 null => null,
                 // unsupported response
                 _ => throw new NotSupportedException($"Unknown response type {res.GetType().FullName}")
diff --git a/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/ClusterTests.cs b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/ClusterTests.cs
index 998ce0e3e9..516f002143 100644
--- a/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/ClusterTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/ClusterTests.cs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public async Task TopologiesShouldHaveConsensus()
             .WaitUpTo(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(20)).ConfigureAwait(false);
 
         _testOutputHelper.WriteLine(await Members.DumpClusterState());
-        
+
         consensus.completed.Should().BeTrue("All members should have gotten consensus on the same topology hash");
         _testOutputHelper.WriteLine(LogStore.ToFormattedString());
     }
@@ -346,15 +346,21 @@ private async Task PingPong(
     {
         await Task.Yield();
 
-        var response = await cluster.Ping(id, id, CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(4), kind);
-        var tries = 1;
+        Pong response = null;
 
-        while (response == null && !token.IsCancellationRequested)
+        do
         {
-            await Task.Delay(200, token);
-            //_testOutputHelper.WriteLine($"Retrying ping {kind}/{id}, attempt {++tries}");
-            response = await cluster.Ping(id, id, CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(4), kind);
-        }
+            try
+            {
+                response = await cluster.Ping(id, id, CancellationTokens.FromSeconds(4), kind);
+            }
+            catch (TimeoutException)
+            {
+                // expected
+            }
+
+            if (response == null) await Task.Delay(200, token);
+        } while (response == null && !token.IsCancellationRequested);
 
         response.Should().NotBeNull($"We expect a response before timeout on {kind}/{id}");
 
diff --git a/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/LegacyTimeoutTests.cs b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/LegacyTimeoutTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..441f671452
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/LegacyTimeoutTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// <copyright file = "LegacyTimeoutTests.cs" company = "Asynkron AB">
+//      Copyright (C) 2015-2022 Asynkron AB All rights reserved
+// </copyright>
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+using System;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using ClusterTest.Messages;
+using FluentAssertions;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Proto.Cluster.Tests;
+
+public class LegacyTimeoutTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task ReturnsNullOnRequestTimeoutInLegacyMode()
+    {
+        await using var fixture = new Fixture(1);
+        await fixture.InitializeAsync();
+
+        var response = await fixture.Members.First().RequestAsync<Pong>(CreateIdentity("slow-test"), EchoActor.Kind,
+            new SlowPing {Message = "hi", DelayMs = 4000}, new CancellationTokenSource(500).Token
+        );
+
+        response.Should().BeNull();
+    }
+
+    private string CreateIdentity(string baseId) => $"{Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N").Substring(0, 6)}-{baseId}-";
+
+    private class Fixture : BaseInMemoryClusterFixture
+    {
+        public Fixture(int clusterSize)
+            : base(clusterSize, cc => cc
+                .WithActorRequestTimeout(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1))
+                .WithLegacyRequestTimeoutBehavior()
+            )
+        {
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/TimeoutTests.cs b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/TimeoutTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2bbb22edf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Proto.Cluster.Tests/TimeoutTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+// <copyright file = "TimeoutTests.cs" company = "Asynkron AB">
+//      Copyright (C) 2015-2022 Asynkron AB All rights reserved
+// </copyright>
+// -----------------------------------------------------------------------
+using System;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using ClusterTest.Messages;
+using FluentAssertions;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Proto.Cluster.Tests;
+
+public class TimeoutTests
+{
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task ThrowsTimeoutExceptionOnRequestTimeout()
+    {
+        await using var fixture = new Fixture(1);
+        await fixture.InitializeAsync();
+
+        await fixture.Members.First()
+            .Invoking(m => m.RequestAsync<Pong>(CreateIdentity("slow-test"), EchoActor.Kind,
+                    new SlowPing {Message = "hi", DelayMs = 4000}, new CancellationTokenSource(500).Token
+                )
+            ).Should().ThrowAsync<TimeoutException>();
+    }
+
+    private string CreateIdentity(string baseId) => $"{Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N").Substring(0, 6)}-{baseId}-";
+
+    private class Fixture : BaseInMemoryClusterFixture
+    {
+        public Fixture(int clusterSize)
+            : base(clusterSize, cc => cc
+                .WithActorRequestTimeout(TimeSpan.FromSeconds(1))
+            )
+        {
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file