diff --git a/jetty-websocket/websocket-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/client/WebSocketClient.java b/jetty-websocket/websocket-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/client/WebSocketClient.java
index b8ea3b458bf..b4cccb92977 100644
--- a/jetty-websocket/websocket-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/client/WebSocketClient.java
+++ b/jetty-websocket/websocket-client/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/client/WebSocketClient.java
@@ -290,13 +290,8 @@ public class WebSocketClient extends ContainerLifeCycle
         this.bufferPool = bufferPool;
     }
 
-    public void setConnectTimeout(int connectTimeout)
+    public void setConnectTimeout(long connectTimeout)
     {
-        if (isStarted())
-        {
-            throw new IllegalStateException("Cannot change connect timeout, WebSocketClient is already started");
-        }
-
         if (connectTimeout < 0)
         {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Connect Timeout cannot be negative");
@@ -318,4 +313,4 @@ public class WebSocketClient extends ContainerLifeCycle
     {
         this.masker = masker;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}