diff --git a/tempest/clients.py b/tempest/clients.py
index 4c3d875..93d5650 100644
--- a/tempest/clients.py
+++ b/tempest/clients.py
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@
             enable_instance_password=eip)
         self.server_groups_client = self.compute.ServerGroupsClient()
         self.limits_client = self.compute.LimitsClient()
-        self.compute_images_client = self.compute.ImagesClient()
+        self.compute_images_client = self.compute.ImagesClient(
+            build_timeout=CONF.image.build_timeout)
         self.keypairs_client = self.compute.KeyPairsClient(
             ssh_key_type=CONF.validation.ssh_key_type)
         self.quotas_client = self.compute.QuotasClient()