diff --git a/etc/tempest.conf.sample b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
index 61c840b..2e1d6f3 100644
--- a/etc/tempest.conf.sample
+++ b/etc/tempest.conf.sample
@@ -278,8 +278,8 @@
 #build_interval = 1
 
 # Timeout in seconds to wait for an instance to build. Other services
-# that do not define build_timeout will inherit this value, for
-# example the image service. (integer value)
+# that do not define build_timeout will inherit this value. (integer
+# value)
 #build_timeout = 300
 
 # Should the tests ssh to instances? (boolean value)
@@ -620,6 +620,14 @@
 # http accessible image (string value)
 #http_image = http://download.cirros-cloud.net/0.3.1/cirros-0.3.1-x86_64-uec.tar.gz
 
+# Timeout in seconds to wait for an image to become available.
+# (integer value)
+#build_timeout = 300
+
+# Time in seconds between image operation status checks. (integer
+# value)
+#build_interval = 1
+
 
 [image-feature-enabled]
 
diff --git a/tempest/config.py b/tempest/config.py
index 54a4dd1..1c0dabb 100644
--- a/tempest/config.py
+++ b/tempest/config.py
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
                default=300,
                help="Timeout in seconds to wait for an instance to build. "
                     "Other services that do not define build_timeout will "
-                    "inherit this value, for example the image service."),
+                    "inherit this value."),
     cfg.BoolOpt('run_ssh',
                 default=False,
                 help="Should the tests ssh to instances?"),
@@ -371,7 +371,15 @@
     cfg.StrOpt('http_image',
                default='http://download.cirros-cloud.net/0.3.1/'
                'cirros-0.3.1-x86_64-uec.tar.gz',
-               help='http accessible image')
+               help='http accessible image'),
+    cfg.IntOpt('build_timeout',
+               default=300,
+               help="Timeout in seconds to wait for an image to "
+                    "become available."),
+    cfg.IntOpt('build_interval',
+               default=1,
+               help="Time in seconds between image operation status "
+                    "checks.")
 ]
 
 image_feature_group = cfg.OptGroup(name='image-feature-enabled',
diff --git a/tempest/services/image/v1/json/image_client.py b/tempest/services/image/v1/json/image_client.py
index 013784c..021f43f 100644
--- a/tempest/services/image/v1/json/image_client.py
+++ b/tempest/services/image/v1/json/image_client.py
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@
             auth_provider,
             CONF.image.catalog_type,
             CONF.image.region or CONF.identity.region,
-            endpoint_type=CONF.image.endpoint_type)
+            endpoint_type=CONF.image.endpoint_type,
+            build_interval=CONF.image.build_interval,
+            build_timeout=CONF.image.build_timeout)
         self._http = None
 
     def _image_meta_from_headers(self, headers):
diff --git a/tempest/services/image/v2/json/image_client.py b/tempest/services/image/v2/json/image_client.py
index 2b3cb0e..141cf6c 100644
--- a/tempest/services/image/v2/json/image_client.py
+++ b/tempest/services/image/v2/json/image_client.py
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@
             auth_provider,
             CONF.image.catalog_type,
             CONF.image.region or CONF.identity.region,
-            endpoint_type=CONF.image.endpoint_type)
+            endpoint_type=CONF.image.endpoint_type,
+            build_interval=CONF.image.build_interval,
+            build_timeout=CONF.image.build_timeout)
         self._http = None
 
     def _get_http(self):