diff --git a/include/wx/msw/gsockmsw.h b/include/wx/msw/gsockmsw.h
index a32589d602..f7970f6ffd 100644
--- a/include/wx/msw/gsockmsw.h
+++ b/include/wx/msw/gsockmsw.h
@@ -80,6 +80,13 @@ public:
     void *optval, int *optlen);
   GSocketError SetSockOpt(int level, int optname,
     const void *optval, int optlen);
+
+  void SetInitialSocketBuffers(int recv, int send)
+  {
+      m_initialRecvBufferSize = recv;
+      m_initialSendBufferSize = send;
+  }
+
 protected:
   GSocketError Input_Timeout();
   GSocketError Output_Timeout();
@@ -89,6 +96,8 @@ protected:
   int Send_Stream(const char *buffer, int size);
   int Send_Dgram(const char *buffer, int size);
   bool m_ok;
+  int m_initialRecvBufferSize;
+  int m_initialSendBufferSize;
 
 /* TODO: Make these protected */
 public:
diff --git a/include/wx/socket.h b/include/wx/socket.h
index ea55c060db..5e9e687b3e 100644
--- a/include/wx/socket.h
+++ b/include/wx/socket.h
@@ -263,8 +263,21 @@ public:
 
   bool WaitOnConnect(long seconds = -1, long milliseconds = 0);
 
+  // Sets initial socket buffer sizes using the SO_SNDBUF and SO_RCVBUF options
+  // before calling connect (either one can be -1 to leave it unchanged)
+  void SetInitialSocketBuffers(int recv, int send)
+  {
+      m_initialRecvBufferSize = recv;
+      m_initialSendBufferSize = send;
+  }
+
 private:
-  virtual bool DoConnect(wxSockAddress& addr, wxSockAddress* local, bool wait = true);
+  virtual bool
+      DoConnect(wxSockAddress& addr, wxSockAddress* local, bool wait = true);
+
+  // buffer sizes, -1 if unset and defaults should be used
+  int m_initialRecvBufferSize;
+  int m_initialSendBufferSize;
 
   DECLARE_NO_COPY_CLASS(wxSocketClient)
 };
diff --git a/include/wx/unix/gsockunx.h b/include/wx/unix/gsockunx.h
index a01f6013d2..c1a42f2b8c 100644
--- a/include/wx/unix/gsockunx.h
+++ b/include/wx/unix/gsockunx.h
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ public:
         const void *optval, int optlen);
     virtual void Detected_Read();
     virtual void Detected_Write();
+    void SetInitialSocketBuffers(int recv, int send)
+    {
+        m_initialRecvBufferSize = recv;
+        m_initialSendBufferSize = send;
+    }
+
 protected:
     void Enable(GSocketEvent event);
     void Disable(GSocketEvent event);
@@ -82,6 +88,8 @@ protected:
     int Send_Stream(const char *buffer, int size);
     int Send_Dgram(const char *buffer, int size);
     bool m_ok;
+    int m_initialRecvBufferSize;
+    int m_initialSendBufferSize;
 public:
     /* DFE: We can't protect these data member until the GUI code is updated */
     /* protected: */
diff --git a/src/common/socket.cpp b/src/common/socket.cpp
index e90a3b7cb5..203d79a063 100644
--- a/src/common/socket.cpp
+++ b/src/common/socket.cpp
@@ -1303,6 +1303,10 @@ bool wxSocketClient::DoConnect(wxSockAddress& addr_man, wxSockAddress* local, bo
       m_socket->SetLocal(la);
   }
 
+#if defined(__WXMSW__) || defined(__WXGTK__)
+  m_socket->SetInitialSocketBuffers(m_initialRecvBufferSize, m_initialSendBufferSize);
+#endif
+
   m_socket->SetPeer(addr_man.GetAddress());
   err = m_socket->Connect(GSOCK_STREAMED);
 
diff --git a/src/msw/gsocket.cpp b/src/msw/gsocket.cpp
index 63da499669..393d15c29c 100644
--- a/src/msw/gsocket.cpp
+++ b/src/msw/gsocket.cpp
@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@ GSocket::GSocket()
   m_reusable        = false;
   m_broadcast		= false;
   m_dobind          = true;
-
+  m_initialRecvBufferSize = -1;
+  m_initialSendBufferSize = -1;
+   
   assert(gs_gui_functions);
   /* Per-socket GUI-specific initialization */
   m_ok = gs_gui_functions->Init_Socket(this);
@@ -630,6 +632,11 @@ GSocketError GSocket::Connect(GSocketStream stream)
      setsockopt(m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, (const char*)&arg, sizeof(arg));
   }
 
+  if (m_initialRecvBufferSize >= 0)
+    setsockopt(m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF, (const char*)&m_initialRecvBufferSize, sizeof(m_initialRecvBufferSize));
+  if (m_initialSendBufferSize >= 0)
+    setsockopt(m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF, (const char*)&m_initialSendBufferSize, sizeof(m_initialSendBufferSize));
+
   // If a local address has been set, then we need to bind to it before calling connect
   if (m_local && m_local->m_addr)
   {
diff --git a/src/unix/gsocket.cpp b/src/unix/gsocket.cpp
index bd71d70be5..0fbdcb3e35 100644
--- a/src/unix/gsocket.cpp
+++ b/src/unix/gsocket.cpp
@@ -541,6 +541,8 @@ GSocket::GSocket()
   m_timeout             = 10*60*1000;
                                 /* 10 minutes * 60 sec * 1000 millisec */
   m_establishing        = false;
+  m_initialRecvBufferSize = -1;
+  m_initialSendBufferSize = -1;
 
   assert(gs_gui_functions);
   /* Per-socket GUI-specific initialization */
@@ -1019,6 +1021,11 @@ GSocketError GSocket::Connect(GSocketStream stream)
 #endif
   }
 
+  if (m_initialRecvBufferSize >= 0)
+    setsockopt(m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF, (const char*)&m_initialRecvBufferSize, sizeof(m_initialRecvBufferSize));
+  if (m_initialSendBufferSize >= 0)
+    setsockopt(m_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF, (const char*)&m_initialSendBufferSize, sizeof(m_initialSendBufferSize));
+
   // If a local address has been set, then we need to bind to it before calling connect
   if (m_local && m_local->m_addr)
   {