diff --git a/lib/connect.c b/lib/connect.c
index 54c5f9e..421f904 100644
--- a/lib/connect.c
+++ b/lib/connect.c
@@ -171,7 +171,8 @@
 
 /*
  * Curl_timeleft() returns the amount of milliseconds left allowed for the
- * transfer/connection. If the value is negative, the timeout time has already
+ * transfer/connection. If the value is 0, there's no timeout (ie there's
+ * infinite time left). If the value is negative, the timeout time has already
  * elapsed.
  *
  * The start time is stored in progress.t_startsingle - as set with
diff --git a/lib/socks.c b/lib/socks.c
index 5dd8363..dfd944e 100644
--- a/lib/socks.c
+++ b/lib/socks.c
@@ -62,15 +62,15 @@
   int result;
   *n = 0;
   for(;;) {
-    timediff_t timeleft = Curl_timeleft(conn->data, NULL, TRUE);
-    if(timeleft < 0) {
+    timediff_t timeout_ms = Curl_timeleft(conn->data, NULL, TRUE);
+    if(timeout_ms < 0) {
       /* we already got the timeout */
       result = CURLE_OPERATION_TIMEDOUT;
       break;
     }
-    if(timeleft > TIME_T_MAX)
-      timeleft = TIME_T_MAX;
-    if(SOCKET_READABLE(sockfd, (time_t)timeleft) <= 0) {
+    if(!timeout_ms || timeout_ms > TIME_T_MAX)
+      timeout_ms = TIME_T_MAX;
+    if(SOCKET_READABLE(sockfd, (time_t)timeout_ms) <= 0) {
       result = ~CURLE_OK;
       break;
     }