diff --git a/src/benchmark/benchmark_config.sample.toml b/src/benchmark/benchmark_config.sample.toml
index 60018f20cd..e8b6a066e9 100644
--- a/src/benchmark/benchmark_config.sample.toml
+++ b/src/benchmark/benchmark_config.sample.toml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ user = "user"
 password = "pass"
 is_secure = false
 skip_verify = false
-timeout = "5s"
+timeout = "10s"
 
 # A regular database, user, and password to read and write data on the cluster being benchmarked.
 [cluster_credentials]
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ runs_per_load_definition = 10000
 
 [[servers]]
 connection_string = "localhost:8086"
+is_secure = false
+skip_verify = false
+timeout = "10s"
 
 # Load definitions describe the reads and writes that you want to simulate.
 # The connections take writes from the load definitions as they're sent out.
diff --git a/src/benchmark/influxdb_benchmark.go b/src/benchmark/influxdb_benchmark.go
index 9aefd00b7a..266f8847f2 100644
--- a/src/benchmark/influxdb_benchmark.go
+++ b/src/benchmark/influxdb_benchmark.go
@@ -29,14 +29,23 @@ type benchmarkConfig struct {
 	Log                *os.File
 }
 
+type duration struct {
+	time.Duration
+}
+
+func (d *duration) UnmarshalText(text []byte) (err error) {
+	d.Duration, err = time.ParseDuration(string(text))
+	return err
+}
+
 type statsServer struct {
-	ConnectionString string        `toml:"connection_string"`
-	User             string        `toml:"user"`
-	Password         string        `toml:"password"`
-	Database         string        `toml:"database"`
-	IsSecure         bool          `toml:"is_secure"`
-	SkipVerify       bool          `toml:"skip_verify"`
-	Timeout          time.Duration `toml:"timeout"`
+	ConnectionString string   `toml:"connection_string"`
+	User             string   `toml:"user"`
+	Password         string   `toml:"password"`
+	Database         string   `toml:"database"`
+	IsSecure         bool     `toml:"is_secure"`
+	SkipVerify       bool     `toml:"skip_verify"`
+	Timeout          duration `toml:"timeout"`
 }
 
 type clusterCredentials struct {
@@ -46,7 +55,10 @@ type clusterCredentials struct {
 }
 
 type server struct {
-	ConnectionString string `toml:"connection_string"`
+	ConnectionString string   `toml:"connection_string"`
+	IsSecure         bool     `toml:"is_secure"`
+	SkipVerify       bool     `toml:"skip_verify"`
+	Timeout          duration `toml:"timeout"`
 }
 
 type loadSettings struct {
@@ -207,9 +219,9 @@ func (self *BenchmarkHarness) reportClient() *influxdb.Client {
 		IsSecure: self.Config.StatsServer.IsSecure,
 		HttpClient: &http.Client{
 			Transport: &http.Transport{TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: self.Config.StatsServer.SkipVerify},
-				ResponseHeaderTimeout: self.Config.StatsServer.Timeout,
+				ResponseHeaderTimeout: self.Config.StatsServer.Timeout.Duration,
 				Dial: func(network, address string) (net.Conn, error) {
-					return net.DialTimeout(network, address, self.Config.StatsServer.Timeout)
+					return net.DialTimeout(network, address, self.Config.StatsServer.Timeout.Duration)
 				},
 			},
 		},
@@ -381,7 +393,17 @@ func (self *BenchmarkHarness) queryAndReport(loadDef *loadDefinition, q *query,
 		Host:     s.ConnectionString,
 		Database: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Database,
 		Username: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.User,
-		Password: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Password}
+		Password: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Password,
+		IsSecure: s.IsSecure,
+		HttpClient: &http.Client{
+			Transport: &http.Transport{TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: s.SkipVerify},
+				ResponseHeaderTimeout: s.Timeout.Duration,
+				Dial: func(network, address string) (net.Conn, error) {
+					return net.DialTimeout(network, address, s.Timeout.Duration)
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
 	client, err := influxdb.NewClient(clientConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		// report query fail
@@ -428,7 +450,17 @@ func (self *BenchmarkHarness) handleWrites(s *server) {
 		Host:     s.ConnectionString,
 		Database: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Database,
 		Username: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.User,
-		Password: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Password}
+		Password: self.Config.ClusterCredentials.Password,
+		IsSecure: s.IsSecure,
+		HttpClient: &http.Client{
+			Transport: &http.Transport{TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: s.SkipVerify},
+				ResponseHeaderTimeout: s.Timeout.Duration,
+				Dial: func(network, address string) (net.Conn, error) {
+					return net.DialTimeout(network, address, s.Timeout.Duration)
+				},
+			},
+		},
+	}
 	client, err := influxdb.NewClient(clientConfig)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("Error connecting to server \"%s\": %s", s.ConnectionString, err))