diff --git a/lib/tty/reader.rb b/lib/tty/reader.rb
index c30062b..21fec40 100644
--- a/lib/tty/reader.rb
+++ b/lib/tty/reader.rb
@@ -221,8 +221,9 @@ def unbufferred(&block)
     #   whether to echo chars back or not, defaults to false
     # @option [Boolean] raw
     #   whenther raw mode is enabled, defaults to true
-    # @option [Boolean] nonblock
+    # @option [Boolean, Numeric] nonblock
     #   whether to wait for input or not, defaults to false
+    #   if it's Numeric, then use that for the timeout
     #
     # @return [String]
     #
diff --git a/lib/tty/reader/console.rb b/lib/tty/reader/console.rb
index d5d41b9..a2eb172 100644
--- a/lib/tty/reader/console.rb
+++ b/lib/tty/reader/console.rb
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ def initialize(input)
       #   whether to echo input back or not, defaults to true
       # @param [Boolean] raw
       #   whether to use raw mode or not, defaults to false
-      # @param [Boolean] nonblock
+      # @param [Boolean, Numeric] nonblock
       #   whether to wait for input or not, defaults to false
+      #   if it's Numeric, then use that for the timeout
       #
       # @return [String]
       #
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ def get_char(echo: true, raw: false, nonblock: false)
         mode.raw(raw) do
           mode.echo(echo) do
             if nonblock
-              input.wait_readable(TIMEOUT) ? input.getc : nil
+              input.wait_readable(nonblock.is_a?(Numeric) ? nonblock : TIMEOUT) ? input.getc : nil
             else
               input.getc
             end