diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index 6dab5cb..a708996 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -16,20 +16,20 @@ func main() {
 	brokerAddress := flag.String("brokerAddress", "0", "the address of the message broker")
 	profilingPort := flag.String("profilingPort", "", "The number of the profiling port")
 	promHostAndPort := flag.String("promHostAndPort", ":2112", "host and port for prometheus listener, e.g. localhost:2112")
-	centralErrorLogger := flag.Bool("centralErrorLogger", false, "seet to true if this is the node that should receive the error log's from other nodes")
-	//isCentral := flag.Bool("isCentral", false, "used to indicate that this is the central master that will subscribe to error message subjects")
+	centralErrorLogger := flag.Bool("centralErrorLogger", false, "set to true if this is the node that should receive the error log's from other nodes")
+	defaultMessageTimeout := flag.Int("defaultMessageTimeout", 10, "default message timeout in seconds. This can be overridden on the message level")
+	defaultMessageRetries := flag.Int("defaultMessageRetries", 0, "default amount of retries that will be done before a message is thrown away, and out of the system")
 	flag.Parse()
 
+	// Start profiling if profiling port is specified
 	if *profilingPort != "" {
-		// TODO REMOVE: Added for profiling
-
 		go func() {
 			http.ListenAndServe("localhost:"+*profilingPort, nil)
 		}()
 
 	}
 
-	s, err := steward.NewServer(*brokerAddress, *nodeName, *promHostAndPort, *centralErrorLogger)
+	s, err := steward.NewServer(*brokerAddress, *nodeName, *promHostAndPort, *centralErrorLogger, *defaultMessageTimeout, *defaultMessageRetries)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error: failed to connect to broker: %v\n", err)
 		os.Exit(1)
diff --git a/example/toShip1.json b/example/toShip1.json
index abce93c..26ac4f4 100644
--- a/example/toShip1.json
+++ b/example/toShip1.json
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
         "toNode": "ship1",
         "data": ["bash","-c","netstat -an|grep -i listen"],
         "commandOrEvent":"CommandACK",
-        "method":"ShellCommand"
-            
+        "method":"ShellCommand",
+        "timeout":3,
+        "retries":3
     }
 ]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/incommmingBuffer.db b/incommmingBuffer.db
index 67d1fe6..d7dca75 100644
Binary files a/incommmingBuffer.db and b/incommmingBuffer.db differ
diff --git a/publisher.go b/publisher.go
index cd240f2..91858d5 100644
--- a/publisher.go
+++ b/publisher.go
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ func (s *server) processNewMessages(dbFileName string, newSAM chan []subjectAndM
 	inCh := make(chan subjectAndMessage)
 	ringBufferOutCh := make(chan samDBValue)
 	// start the ringbuffer.
-	rb.start(inCh, ringBufferOutCh)
+	rb.start(inCh, ringBufferOutCh, s.defaultMessageTimeout, s.defaultMessageRetries)
 
 	// Start reading new fresh messages received on the incomming message
 	// pipe/file requested, and fill them into the buffer.
diff --git a/ringbuffer.go b/ringbuffer.go
index 045a482..f27eb5b 100644
--- a/ringbuffer.go
+++ b/ringbuffer.go
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func newringBuffer(size int, dbFileName string) *ringBuffer {
 // start will process incomming messages through the inCh,
 // put the messages on a buffered channel
 // and deliver messages out when requested on the outCh.
-func (r *ringBuffer) start(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, outCh chan samDBValue) {
+func (r *ringBuffer) start(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, outCh chan samDBValue, defaultMessageTimeout int, defaultMessageRetries int) {
 	// Starting both writing and reading in separate go routines so we
 	// can write and read concurrently.
 
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (r *ringBuffer) start(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, outCh chan samDBValue) {
 	r.totalMessagesIndex = r.getIndexValue(indexValueBucket)
 
 	// Fill the buffer when new data arrives into the system
-	go r.fillBuffer(inCh, samValueBucket, indexValueBucket)
+	go r.fillBuffer(inCh, samValueBucket, indexValueBucket, defaultMessageTimeout, defaultMessageRetries)
 
 	// Start the process to permanently store done messages.
 	go r.startPermanentStore()
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (r *ringBuffer) start(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, outCh chan samDBValue) {
 
 // fillBuffer will fill the buffer in the ringbuffer  reading from the inchannel.
 // It will also store the messages in a K/V DB while being processed.
-func (r *ringBuffer) fillBuffer(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, samValueBucket string, indexValueBucket string) {
+func (r *ringBuffer) fillBuffer(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, samValueBucket string, indexValueBucket string, defaultMessageTimeout int, defaultMessageRetries int) {
 	// At startup get all the values that might be in the K/V store so we can
 	// put them into the buffer before we start to fill up with new incomming
 	// messages to the system.
@@ -119,6 +119,14 @@ func (r *ringBuffer) fillBuffer(inCh chan subjectAndMessage, samValueBucket stri
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// Check if message values for timers override default values
+		if v.Message.Timeout < 1 {
+			v.Message.Timeout = defaultMessageTimeout
+		}
+		if v.Message.Retries < 1 {
+			v.Message.Retries = defaultMessageRetries
+		}
+
 		// --- Store the incomming message in the k/v store ---
 
 		// Get a unique number for the message to use when storing
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 630f72c..650f93a 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -49,10 +49,14 @@ type server struct {
 	subscriberServices *subscriberServices
 	// Is this the central error logger ?
 	centralErrorLogger bool
+	// default message timeout in seconds. This can be overridden on the message level
+	defaultMessageTimeout int
+	// default amount of retries that will be done before a message is thrown away, and out of the system
+	defaultMessageRetries int
 }
 
 // newServer will prepare and return a server type
-func NewServer(brokerAddress string, nodeName string, promHostAndPort string, centralErrorLogger bool) (*server, error) {
+func NewServer(brokerAddress string, nodeName string, promHostAndPort string, centralErrorLogger bool, defaultMessageTimeout int, defaultMessageRetries int) (*server, error) {
 	conn, err := nats.Connect(brokerAddress, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("error: nats.Connect failed: %v\n", err)
@@ -71,6 +75,8 @@ func NewServer(brokerAddress string, nodeName string, promHostAndPort string, ce
 		metrics:                 newMetrics(promHostAndPort),
 		subscriberServices:      newSubscriberServices(),
 		centralErrorLogger:      centralErrorLogger,
+		defaultMessageTimeout:   defaultMessageTimeout,
+		defaultMessageRetries:   defaultMessageRetries,
 	}
 
 	return s, nil
@@ -207,6 +213,8 @@ func (s *server) spawnWorkerProcess(proc process) {
 }
 
 func (s *server) messageDeliverNats(proc process, message Message) {
+	retryAttempts := 0
+
 	for {
 		dataPayload, err := gobEncodeMessage(message)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -246,11 +254,25 @@ func (s *server) messageDeliverNats(proc process, message Message) {
 		if message.CommandOrEvent == CommandACK || message.CommandOrEvent == EventACK {
 			// Wait up until 10 seconds for a reply,
 			// continue and resend if to reply received.
-			msgReply, err := subReply.NextMsg(time.Second * 10)
+			msgReply, err := subReply.NextMsg(time.Second * time.Duration(message.Timeout))
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Printf("error: subReply.NextMsg failed for node=%v, subject=%v: %v\n", proc.node, proc.subject.name(), err)
-				// did not receive a reply, continuing from top again
-				continue
+
+				// did not receive a reply, decide what to do..
+				retryAttempts++
+				fmt.Printf("Retry attempts:%v, retries: %v, timeout: %v\n", retryAttempts, message.Retries, message.Timeout)
+				switch {
+				case message.Retries == 0:
+					// 0 indicates unlimited retries
+					continue
+				case retryAttempts >= message.Retries:
+					// max retries reached
+					log.Printf("info: max retries for message reached, breaking out: %v", retryAttempts)
+					return
+				default:
+					// none of the above matched, so we've not reached max retries yet
+					continue
+				}
 			}
 			log.Printf("info: publisher: received ACK for message: %s\n", msgReply.Data)
 		}