diff --git a/res_send.c b/res_send.c
index f391fb4..8de4637 100644
--- a/res_send.c
+++ b/res_send.c
@@ -959,6 +959,27 @@ vc_same_ns:
 			return DNS_RES_STATUS_CONNECTION_REFUSED;
 		}
 
+#ifdef DARLING
+		/*
+		 * darling-lol: the TCP (VC) reply read below is a plain
+		 * blocking read() with no deadline. If the server is slow or
+		 * drops the connection without RST, it blocks forever and the
+		 * whole getaddrinfo() caller hangs (observed: RC launcher
+		 * stall on clientconfig.rpg.riotgames.com, thread parked in
+		 * _sys_read <- _dns_res_send <- _res_9_nsend_2). Bound it so a
+		 * stalled server falls through to the normal retry/next-server
+		 * path instead of wedging the process.
+		 */
+		{
+			struct timeval tv;
+			tv.tv_sec = statp->retrans > 0 ? statp->retrans : RES_TIMEOUT;
+			if (tv.tv_sec > 30) tv.tv_sec = 30;
+			tv.tv_usec = 0;
+			setsockopt(statp->_vcsock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVTIMEO, &tv, sizeof(tv));
+			setsockopt(statp->_vcsock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDTIMEO, &tv, sizeof(tv));
+		}
+#endif
+
 		statp->_flags |= RES_F_VC;
 	}