diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 61de3b9..72a5a94 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -40,6 +40,14 @@ type Config struct {
 	//
 	// If zero, a sensible default is chosen based on MaxIdleTime.
 	MaintainerInterval time.Duration
+
+	// DialTimeout is the maximum duration allowed for creating a new connection.
+	//
+	// If the dial operation takes longer than this duration, it will be
+	// canceled and an error will be returned.
+	//
+	// A zero value means no timeout (dial may block indefinitely).
+	DialTimeout time.Duration
 }
 
 // Opt represents a functional option used to configure a Netpool.
@@ -92,3 +100,13 @@ func WithMaintainerInterval(d time.Duration) Opt {
 		c.MaintainerInterval = d
 	}
 }
+
+// WithDialTimeout sets the maximum duration for creating new connections.
+//
+// If a dial operation exceeds this timeout, it fails with a timeout error.
+// A zero value disables the timeout.
+func WithDialTimeout(d time.Duration) Opt {
+	return func(c *Config) {
+		c.DialTimeout = d
+	}
+}
diff --git a/errors.go b/errors.go
index 54d126a..62af424 100644
--- a/errors.go
+++ b/errors.go
@@ -14,4 +14,7 @@ var (
 
 	// ErrConnReturned is returned when connection already returned
 	ErrConnReturned = errors.New("connection already returned")
+
+	// ErrDialTimeout is returned when dial operation exceeds the configured timeout
+	ErrDialTimeout = errors.New("netpool: dial timeout exceeded")
 )
diff --git a/netpool.go b/netpool.go
index 87c2ea6..1935bfa 100644
--- a/netpool.go
+++ b/netpool.go
@@ -192,7 +192,39 @@ func New(fn netpoolFunc, opts ...Opt) (*Netpool, error) {
 }
 
 func (netpool *Netpool) createConnection() (net.Conn, error) {
-	conn, err := netpool.fn()
+	var conn net.Conn
+	var err error
+
+	// If DialTimeout is set, wrap the dial in a timeout
+	if netpool.config.DialTimeout > 0 {
+		type dialResult struct {
+			conn net.Conn
+			err  error
+		}
+		result := make(chan dialResult, 1)
+
+		go func() {
+			c, e := netpool.fn()
+			result <- dialResult{conn: c, err: e}
+		}()
+
+		select {
+		case r := <-result:
+			conn, err = r.conn, r.err
+		case <-time.After(netpool.config.DialTimeout):
+			// Dial timed out - if dial eventually succeeds, connection will leak
+			// To prevent this, we spawn a cleanup goroutine
+			go func() {
+				if r := <-result; r.conn != nil {
+					r.conn.Close()
+				}
+			}()
+			return nil, ErrDialTimeout
+		}
+	} else {
+		conn, err = netpool.fn()
+	}
+
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -259,20 +291,15 @@ func (netpool *Netpool) getWithContext(ctx context.Context) (net.Conn, error) {
 			return c, nil
 		}
 
-		done := make(chan struct{})
-
-		go func() {
-			select {
-			case <-ctx.Done():
-				netpool.mu.Lock()
-				netpool.cond.Broadcast()
-				netpool.mu.Unlock()
-			case <-done:
-			}
-		}()
+		// Use context.AfterFunc for cleaner context cancellation handling (Go 1.21+)
+		stop := context.AfterFunc(ctx, func() {
+			netpool.mu.Lock()
+			netpool.cond.Broadcast()
+			netpool.mu.Unlock()
+		})
 
 		netpool.cond.Wait()
-		close(done)
+		stop()
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/netpool_test.go b/netpool_test.go
index c3f2c5c..e4de610 100644
--- a/netpool_test.go
+++ b/netpool_test.go
@@ -1165,6 +1165,67 @@ func TestExtremeContention(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestDialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	slowDial := func() (net.Conn, error) {
+		time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+		return net.Dial("tcp", "127.0.0.1:9999")
+	}
+
+	start := time.Now()
+	_, err := New(slowDial,
+		WithMinPool(1),
+		WithMaxPool(5),
+		WithDialTimeout(100*time.Millisecond),
+	)
+	elapsed := time.Since(start)
+
+	if err != ErrDialTimeout {
+		t.Errorf("expected ErrDialTimeout, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if elapsed >= 400*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Errorf("timeout took too long: %v, expected ~100ms", elapsed)
+	}
+	if elapsed < 50*time.Millisecond {
+		t.Errorf("timeout happened too quickly: %v", elapsed)
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("Dial timeout detected after %v", elapsed)
+}
+
+func TestDialTimeoutWithWorkingServer(t *testing.T) {
+	listener, addr := createTestServer(t)
+	defer listener.Close()
+
+	pool, err := New(func() (net.Conn, error) {
+		return net.Dial("tcp", addr)
+	},
+		WithMinPool(2),
+		WithMaxPool(5),
+		WithDialTimeout(5*time.Second),
+	)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create pool: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer pool.Close()
+
+	conn, err := pool.Get()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get connection: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+
+	_, err = conn.Write([]byte("test"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	stats := pool.Stats()
+	t.Logf("Pool stats with DialTimeout: Active=%d, Idle=%d, InUse=%d",
+		stats.Active, stats.Idle, stats.InUse)
+}
+
 func BenchmarkPoolConcurrent(b *testing.B) {
 	listener, addr := createBenchmarkTestServer(b)
 	defer listener.Close()
diff --git a/pool_connection.go b/pool_connection.go
index 7e863fb..7ee9c48 100644
--- a/pool_connection.go
+++ b/pool_connection.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
+	"time"
 )
 
 var pooledConnPool = sync.Pool{
@@ -48,6 +49,12 @@ func (pc *pooledConn) Close() error {
 	if v := pc.lastErr.Load(); v != nil {
 		err = *v
 	}
+
+	// Reset deadline before returning to pool so next user gets clean connection
+	if pc.Conn != nil {
+		_ = pc.Conn.SetDeadline(time.Time{})
+	}
+
 	pc.pool.Put(pc.Conn, err)
 
 	pc.Conn = nil
@@ -62,8 +69,11 @@ func (pc *pooledConn) MarkUnusable() error {
 	if !pc.returned.CompareAndSwap(false, true) {
 		return nil
 	}
-
 	pc.pool.Put(pc.Conn, ErrInvalidConn)
+
+	pc.Conn = nil
+	pc.pool = nil
+	pooledConnPool.Put(pc)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -73,7 +83,12 @@ func (pc *pooledConn) Read(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
 		return 0, ErrConnReturned
 	}
 
-	n, err = pc.Conn.Read(b)
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return 0, ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	n, err = conn.Read(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		pc.setErr(err)
 	}
@@ -86,9 +101,84 @@ func (pc *pooledConn) Write(b []byte) (n int, err error) {
 		return 0, ErrConnReturned
 	}
 
-	n, err = pc.Conn.Write(b)
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return 0, ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	n, err = conn.Write(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		pc.setErr(err)
 	}
 	return n, err
 }
+
+// SetDeadline implements net.Conn.SetDeadline
+func (pc *pooledConn) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if pc.returned.Load() {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	return conn.SetDeadline(t)
+}
+
+// SetReadDeadline implements net.Conn.SetReadDeadline
+func (pc *pooledConn) SetReadDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if pc.returned.Load() {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	return conn.SetReadDeadline(t)
+}
+
+// SetWriteDeadline implements net.Conn.SetWriteDeadline
+func (pc *pooledConn) SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error {
+	if pc.returned.Load() {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return ErrConnReturned
+	}
+
+	return conn.SetWriteDeadline(t)
+}
+
+// LocalAddr implements net.Conn.LocalAddr
+func (pc *pooledConn) LocalAddr() net.Addr {
+	if pc.returned.Load() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return conn.LocalAddr()
+}
+
+// RemoteAddr implements net.Conn.RemoteAddr
+func (pc *pooledConn) RemoteAddr() net.Addr {
+	if pc.returned.Load() {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	conn := pc.Conn
+	if conn == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return conn.RemoteAddr()
+}