diff --git a/searx/search.py b/searx/search.py
index a2c1c85f..9c7142c7 100644
--- a/searx/search.py
+++ b/searx/search.py
@@ -279,10 +279,13 @@ def get_search_query_from_webapp(preferences, form):
     query_timeout = raw_text_query.timeout_limit
     if query_timeout is None and 'timeout_limit' in form:
         raw_time_limit = form.get('timeout_limit')
-        try:
-            query_timeout = float(raw_time_limit)
-        except ValueError:
-            raise SearxParameterException('timeout_limit', raw_time_limit)
+        if raw_time_limit in ['None', '']:
+            raw_time_limit = None
+        else:
+            try:
+                query_timeout = float(raw_time_limit)
+            except ValueError:
+                raise SearxParameterException('timeout_limit', raw_time_limit)
 
     # query_categories
     query_categories = []
diff --git a/searx/templates/oscar/results.html b/searx/templates/oscar/results.html
index ce557daf..9a95265b 100644
--- a/searx/templates/oscar/results.html
+++ b/searx/templates/oscar/results.html
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
     <input type="hidden" name="pageno" value="{{ pageno }}" />
     <input type="hidden" name="time_range" value="{{ time_range }}" />
     <input type="hidden" name="language" value="{{ current_language }}" />
-    <input type="hidden" name="timeout_limit" value="{{ timeout_limit }}" />
+    {% if timeout_limit %}<input type="hidden" name="timeout_limit" value="{{ timeout_limit|e }}" />{% endif %}
 {%- endmacro %}
 {%- macro search_url() %}{{ base_url }}?q={{ q|urlencode }}{% if selected_categories %}&amp;categories={{ selected_categories|join(",") | replace(' ','+') }}{% endif %}{% if pageno > 1 %}&amp;pageno={{ pageno }}{% endif %}{% if time_range %}&amp;time_range={{ time_range }}{% endif %}{% if current_language != 'all' %}&amp;language={{ current_language }}{% endif %}{% endmacro -%}