diff --git a/imageproxy.go b/imageproxy.go
index 22a7c56..4afc67f 100644
--- a/imageproxy.go
+++ b/imageproxy.go
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/golang/glog"
 	"github.com/gregjones/httpcache"
+	tphttp "willnorris.com/go/imageproxy/third_party/http"
 )
 
 // Proxy serves image requests.
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ func (p *Proxy) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 	var h http.Handler = http.HandlerFunc(p.serveImage)
 	if p.Timeout > 0 {
-		h = http.TimeoutHandler(h, p.Timeout, "")
+		h = tphttp.TimeoutHandler(h, p.Timeout, "Gateway timeout waiting for remote resource.")
 	}
 	h.ServeHTTP(w, r)
 }
diff --git a/third_party/http/server.go b/third_party/http/server.go
index 133c3c9..b17943b 100644
--- a/third_party/http/server.go
+++ b/third_party/http/server.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 //
 // The new Handler calls h.ServeHTTP to handle each request, but if a
 // call runs for longer than its time limit, the handler responds with
-// a 503 Service Unavailable error and the given message in its body.
+// a 504 Gateway Timeout error and the given message in its body.
 // (If msg is empty, a suitable default message will be sent.)
 // After such a timeout, writes by h to its ResponseWriter will return
 // ErrHandlerTimeout.
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func (h *timeoutHandler) ServeHTTP(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	case <-timeout:
 		tw.mu.Lock()
 		defer tw.mu.Unlock()
-		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusGatewayTimeout)
 		io.WriteString(w, h.errorBody())
 		tw.timedOut = true
 		return