Index: wp-admin/includes/plugin-install.php
===================================================================
--- wp-admin/includes/plugin-install.php	(revision 12543)
+++ wp-admin/includes/plugin-install.php	(working copy)
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 	$res = apply_filters('plugins_api', false, $action, $args); //NOTE: Allows a plugin to completely override the builtin WordPress.org API.
 
 	if ( ! $res ) {
-		$request = wp_remote_post('http://api.wordpress.org/plugins/info/1.0/', array( 'body' => array('action' => $action, 'request' => serialize($args))) );
+		$request = wp_remote_post('http://api.wordpress.org/plugins/info/1.0/', array( 'timeout' => 15, 'body' => array('action' => $action, 'request' => serialize($args))) );
 		if ( is_wp_error($request) ) {
 			$res = new WP_Error('plugins_api_failed', __('An Unexpected HTTP Error occurred during the API request.</p> <p><a href="?" onclick="document.location.reload(); return false;">Try again</a>'), $request->get_error_message() );
 		} else {
@@ -197,6 +197,8 @@
 function install_popular($page = 1) {
 	$args = array('browse' => 'popular', 'page' => $page);
 	$api = plugins_api('query_plugins', $args);
+	if ( is_wp_error($api) )
+		wp_die($api);
 	display_plugins_table($api->plugins, $api->info['page'], $api->info['pages']);
 }
 
@@ -248,6 +250,8 @@
 function install_updated($page = 1) {
 	$args = array('browse' => 'updated', 'page' => $page);
 	$api = plugins_api('query_plugins', $args);
+	if ( is_wp_error($api) )
+		wp_die($api);
 	display_plugins_table($api->plugins, $api->info['page'], $api->info['pages']);
 }