diff --git a/lib/cpp/src/transport/TSocket.cpp b/lib/cpp/src/transport/TSocket.cpp
index 2171bab..c216929 100644
--- a/lib/cpp/src/transport/TSocket.cpp
+++ b/lib/cpp/src/transport/TSocket.cpp
@@ -438,13 +438,21 @@
 }
 
 void TSocket::setRecvTimeout(int ms) {
+  if (ms < 0) {
+    char errBuf[512];
+    sprintf(errBuf, "TSocket::setRecvTimeout with negative input: %d\n", ms);
+    GlobalOutput(errBuf);
+    return;
+  }
   recvTimeout_ = ms;
-  recvTimeval_.tv_sec = (int)(recvTimeout_/1000);
-  recvTimeval_.tv_usec = (int)((recvTimeout_%1000)*1000);
+
   if (socket_ < 0) {
     return;
   }
 
+  recvTimeval_.tv_sec = (int)(recvTimeout_/1000);
+  recvTimeval_.tv_usec = (int)((recvTimeout_%1000)*1000);
+
   // Copy because select may modify
   struct timeval r = recvTimeval_;
   int ret = setsockopt(socket_, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVTIMEO, &r, sizeof(r));
@@ -455,7 +463,14 @@
 }
 
 void TSocket::setSendTimeout(int ms) {
+  if (ms < 0) {
+    char errBuf[512];
+    sprintf(errBuf, "TSocket::setSendTimeout with negative input: %d\n", ms);
+    GlobalOutput(errBuf);
+    return;
+  }
   sendTimeout_ = ms;
+
   if (socket_ < 0) {
     return;
   }