diff --git a/examples/axum-key-value-store/src/main.rs b/examples/axum-key-value-store/src/main.rs
index 2a4bd47e..dde8851e 100644
--- a/examples/axum-key-value-store/src/main.rs
+++ b/examples/axum-key-value-store/src/main.rs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ fn app() -> Router {
         )
         .sensitive_response_headers(sensitive_headers)
         // Set a timeout
-        .layer(TimeoutLayer::new(Duration::from_secs(10)))
+        .layer(TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT, Duration::from_secs(10)))
         // Compress responses
         .compression()
         // Set a `Content-Type` if there isn't one already.
diff --git a/tower-http/src/timeout/mod.rs b/tower-http/src/timeout/mod.rs
index facb6a92..e159b23c 100644
--- a/tower-http/src/timeout/mod.rs
+++ b/tower-http/src/timeout/mod.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 //! Middleware that applies a timeout to requests.
 //!
-//! If the request does not complete within the specified timeout it will be aborted and a `408
-//! Request Timeout` response will be sent.
+//! If the request does not complete within the specified timeout, it will be aborted and a
+//! response with an empty body and a custom status code will be returned.
 //!
 //! # Differences from `tower::timeout`
 //!
@@ -9,14 +9,14 @@
 //! it changes the error type to [`BoxError`](tower::BoxError). For HTTP services that is rarely
 //! what you want as returning errors will terminate the connection without sending a response.
 //!
-//! This middleware won't change the error type and instead return a `408 Request Timeout`
-//! response. That means if your service's error type is [`Infallible`] it will still be
-//! [`Infallible`] after applying this middleware.
+//! This middleware won't change the error type and instead returns a response with an empty body
+//! and the specified status code. That means if your service's error type is [`Infallible`], it will
+//! still be [`Infallible`] after applying this middleware.
 //!
 //! # Example
 //!
 //! ```
-//! use http::{Request, Response};
+//! use http::{Request, Response, StatusCode};
 //! use http_body_util::Full;
 //! use bytes::Bytes;
 //! use std::{convert::Infallible, time::Duration};
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@
 //! # #[tokio::main]
 //! # async fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
 //! let svc = ServiceBuilder::new()
-//!     // Timeout requests after 30 seconds
-//!     .layer(TimeoutLayer::new(Duration::from_secs(30)))
+//!     // Timeout requests after 30 seconds with the specified status code
+//!     .layer(TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT, Duration::from_secs(30)))
 //!     .service_fn(handle);
 //! # Ok(())
 //! # }
diff --git a/tower-http/src/timeout/service.rs b/tower-http/src/timeout/service.rs
index 230fe717..68ea56ef 100644
--- a/tower-http/src/timeout/service.rs
+++ b/tower-http/src/timeout/service.rs
@@ -17,12 +17,25 @@ use tower_service::Service;
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
 pub struct TimeoutLayer {
     timeout: Duration,
+    status_code: StatusCode,
 }
 
 impl TimeoutLayer {
     /// Creates a new [`TimeoutLayer`].
+    ///
+    /// By default, it will return a `408 Request Timeout` response if the request does not complete within the specified timeout.
+    /// To customize the response status code, use the `with_status_code` method.
+    #[deprecated(since = "0.6.7", note = "Use `TimeoutLayer::with_status_code` instead")]
     pub fn new(timeout: Duration) -> Self {
-        TimeoutLayer { timeout }
+        Self::with_status_code(StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT, timeout)
+    }
+
+    /// Creates a new [`TimeoutLayer`] with the specified status code for the timeout response.
+    pub fn with_status_code(status_code: StatusCode, timeout: Duration) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            timeout,
+            status_code,
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -30,26 +43,37 @@ impl<S> Layer<S> for TimeoutLayer {
     type Service = Timeout<S>;
 
     fn layer(&self, inner: S) -> Self::Service {
-        Timeout::new(inner, self.timeout)
+        Timeout::with_status_code(inner, self.status_code, self.timeout)
     }
 }
 
 /// Middleware which apply a timeout to requests.
 ///
-/// If the request does not complete within the specified timeout it will be aborted and a `408
-/// Request Timeout` response will be sent.
-///
 /// See the [module docs](super) for an example.
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy)]
 pub struct Timeout<S> {
     inner: S,
     timeout: Duration,
+    status_code: StatusCode,
 }
 
 impl<S> Timeout<S> {
     /// Creates a new [`Timeout`].
+    ///
+    /// By default, it will return a `408 Request Timeout` response if the request does not complete within the specified timeout.
+    /// To customize the response status code, use the `with_status_code` method.
+    #[deprecated(since = "0.6.7", note = "Use `Timeout::with_status_code` instead")]
     pub fn new(inner: S, timeout: Duration) -> Self {
-        Self { inner, timeout }
+        Self::with_status_code(inner, StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT, timeout)
+    }
+
+    /// Creates a new [`Timeout`] with the specified status code for the timeout response.
+    pub fn with_status_code(inner: S, status_code: StatusCode, timeout: Duration) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inner,
+            timeout,
+            status_code,
+        }
     }
 
     define_inner_service_accessors!();
@@ -57,8 +81,17 @@ impl<S> Timeout<S> {
     /// Returns a new [`Layer`] that wraps services with a `Timeout` middleware.
     ///
     /// [`Layer`]: tower_layer::Layer
+    #[deprecated(
+        since = "0.6.7",
+        note = "Use `Timeout::layer_with_status_code` instead"
+    )]
     pub fn layer(timeout: Duration) -> TimeoutLayer {
-        TimeoutLayer::new(timeout)
+        TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT, timeout)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns a new [`Layer`] that wraps services with a `Timeout` middleware with the specified status code.
+    pub fn layer_with_status_code(status_code: StatusCode, timeout: Duration) -> TimeoutLayer {
+        TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(status_code, timeout)
     }
 }
 
@@ -81,6 +114,7 @@ where
         ResponseFuture {
             inner: self.inner.call(req),
             sleep,
+            status_code: self.status_code,
         }
     }
 }
@@ -92,6 +126,7 @@ pin_project! {
         inner: F,
         #[pin]
         sleep: Sleep,
+        status_code: StatusCode,
     }
 }
 
@@ -107,7 +142,7 @@ where
 
         if this.sleep.poll(cx).is_ready() {
             let mut res = Response::new(B::default());
-            *res.status_mut() = StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT;
+            *res.status_mut() = *this.status_code;
             return Poll::Ready(Ok(res));
         }
 
@@ -269,3 +304,93 @@ where
         Poll::Ready(Ok(res.map(|body| TimeoutBody::new(timeout, body))))
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use crate::test_helpers::Body;
+    use http::{Request, Response, StatusCode};
+    use std::time::Duration;
+    use tower::{BoxError, ServiceBuilder, ServiceExt};
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn request_completes_within_timeout() {
+        let mut service = ServiceBuilder::new()
+            .layer(TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(
+                StatusCode::GATEWAY_TIMEOUT,
+                Duration::from_secs(1),
+            ))
+            .service_fn(fast_handler);
+
+        let request = Request::get("/").body(Body::empty()).unwrap();
+        let res = service.ready().await.unwrap().call(request).await.unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn timeout_middleware_with_custom_status_code() {
+        let timeout_service = Timeout::with_status_code(
+            tower::service_fn(slow_handler),
+            StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT,
+            Duration::from_millis(10),
+        );
+
+        let mut service = ServiceBuilder::new().service(timeout_service);
+
+        let request = Request::get("/").body(Body::empty()).unwrap();
+        let res = service.ready().await.unwrap().call(request).await.unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT);
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn timeout_response_has_empty_body() {
+        let mut service = ServiceBuilder::new()
+            .layer(TimeoutLayer::with_status_code(
+                StatusCode::GATEWAY_TIMEOUT,
+                Duration::from_millis(10),
+            ))
+            .service_fn(slow_handler);
+
+        let request = Request::get("/").body(Body::empty()).unwrap();
+        let res = service.ready().await.unwrap().call(request).await.unwrap();
+
+        assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::GATEWAY_TIMEOUT);
+
+        // Verify the body is empty (default)
+        use http_body_util::BodyExt;
+        let body = res.into_body();
+        let bytes = body.collect().await.unwrap().to_bytes();
+        assert!(bytes.is_empty());
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn deprecated_new_method_compatibility() {
+        #[allow(deprecated)]
+        let layer = TimeoutLayer::new(Duration::from_millis(10));
+
+        let mut service = ServiceBuilder::new().layer(layer).service_fn(slow_handler);
+
+        let request = Request::get("/").body(Body::empty()).unwrap();
+        let res = service.ready().await.unwrap().call(request).await.unwrap();
+
+        // Should use default 408 status code
+        assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::REQUEST_TIMEOUT);
+    }
+
+    async fn slow_handler(_req: Request<Body>) -> Result<Response<Body>, BoxError> {
+        tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(10)).await;
+        Ok(Response::builder()
+            .status(StatusCode::OK)
+            .body(Body::empty())
+            .unwrap())
+    }
+
+    async fn fast_handler(_req: Request<Body>) -> Result<Response<Body>, BoxError> {
+        Ok(Response::builder()
+            .status(StatusCode::OK)
+            .body(Body::empty())
+            .unwrap())
+    }
+}