diff --git a/kubernetes/base/stream/ws_client.py b/kubernetes/base/stream/ws_client.py
index 15cc3945fa..4a7356a6da 100644
--- a/kubernetes/base/stream/ws_client.py
+++ b/kubernetes/base/stream/ws_client.py
@@ -182,6 +182,8 @@ def update(self, timeout=0):
         if hasattr(select, "poll"):
             poll = select.poll()
             poll.register(self.sock.sock, select.POLLIN)
+            if timeout is not None:
+                timeout *= 1_000  # poll method uses milliseconds as the time unit
             r = poll.poll(timeout)
             poll.unregister(self.sock.sock)
         else: