diff --git a/lib/git.zsh b/lib/git.zsh
index 118841f06..b2c5344da 100644
--- a/lib/git.zsh
+++ b/lib/git.zsh
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ function git_prompt_info() {
 parse_git_dirty() {
   local STATUS=''
   local FLAGS
+  local COPID=''
   FLAGS=('--porcelain')
   if [[ "$(command git config --get oh-my-zsh.hide-dirty)" != "1" ]]; then
     if [[ $POST_1_7_2_GIT -gt 0 ]]; then
@@ -20,12 +21,21 @@ parse_git_dirty() {
     if [[ "$DISABLE_UNTRACKED_FILES_DIRTY" == "true" ]]; then
       FLAGS+='--untracked-files=no'
     fi
-    STATUS=$(command git status ${FLAGS} 2> /dev/null | tail -n1)
-  fi
-  if [[ -n $STATUS ]]; then
-    echo "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY"
-  else
-    echo "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN"
+    # Use coproc to timebox `git status` so slow repo access doesn't hang the prompt
+    # Use dummy "xxx" to distinguish timeouts from empty output
+    local END_OUTPUT="_end_of_status_"
+    coproc (command git status ${FLAGS} 2> /dev/null; echo $END_OUTPUT)
+    COPID=$!
+    read -p -t $ZSH_THEME_SCM_CHECK_TIMEOUT STATUS
+    if [[ -z $STATUS ]]; then
+      echo "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_TIMEDOUT"
+      # Get rid of that git run
+      kill -s KILL $COPID &>/dev/null
+    elif [[ $STATUS = $END_OUTPUT ]]; then
+      echo "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN"
+    else
+      echo "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY"
+    fi
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh b/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
index 926303ca4..2c416b1c7 100644
--- a/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
+++ b/lib/theme-and-appearance.zsh
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="git:("         # Prefix at the very beginning of th
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")"             # At the very end of the prompt
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY="*"              # Text to display if the branch is dirty
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN=""               # Text to display if the branch is clean
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_TIMEDOUT="?"            # Text to display if status check timed out
+
+# Timeout (in seconds, fractions OK) for SCM (git/hg/etc) info checks done
+# inside prompt
+ZSH_THEME_SCM_CHECK_TIMEOUT=1
 
 # Setup the prompt with pretty colors
 setopt prompt_subst
diff --git a/themes/robbyrussell.zsh-theme b/themes/robbyrussell.zsh-theme
index 24e1e8c52..2da5658fa 100644
--- a/themes/robbyrussell.zsh-theme
+++ b/themes/robbyrussell.zsh-theme
@@ -4,4 +4,5 @@ PROMPT='${ret_status}%{$fg_bold[green]%}%p %{$fg[cyan]%}%c %{$fg_bold[blue]%}$(g
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="git:(%{$fg[red]%}"
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX="%{$reset_color%}"
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY="%{$fg[blue]%}) %{$fg[yellow]%}✗%{$reset_color%}"
+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_TIMEDOUT="%{$fg[blue]%}) %{$fg[red]%}?%{$reset_color%}"
 ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN="%{$fg[blue]%})"