diff --git a/server/config/config.go b/server/config/config.go
index e2435bd48c8be9380c583d5d1b394457bb477305..4c2373c52efc60a26f87c72cd8a92f57f8e4d739 100644
--- a/server/config/config.go
+++ b/server/config/config.go
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func parseConfig(path string) (*Config, error) {
 			PublicURL:   "ssh://localhost:23231",
 			KeyPath:     filepath.Join("ssh", "soft_serve_host_ed25519"),
 			MaxTimeout:  0,
-			IdleTimeout: 120,
+			IdleTimeout: 0,
 		},
 		Git: GitConfig{
 			ListenAddr:     ":9418",
diff --git a/server/config/file.go b/server/config/file.go
index 81a0931e3bc489a1f502ca355ef309733577f836..eb462ae7061b7477ab999802b5cb9efa212eab11 100644
--- a/server/config/file.go
+++ b/server/config/file.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ ssh:
   max_timeout: {{ .SSH.MaxTimeout }}
 
   # The number of seconds a connection can be idle before it is closed.
+  # A value of 0 means no timeout.
   idle_timeout: {{ .SSH.IdleTimeout }}
 
 # The Git daemon configuration.