diff --git a/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py b/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
index 04824e1be..8760d77b0 100644
--- a/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
+++ b/google/cloud/bigtable/row_data.py
@@ -404,7 +404,14 @@ def __init__(self, read_method, request, retry=DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS):
         self.read_method = read_method
         self.request = request
         self.retry = retry
-        self.response_iterator = read_method(request)
+
+        # The `timeout` parameter must be somewhat greater than the value
+        # contained in `self.retry`, in order to avoid race-like condition and
+        # allow registering the first deadline error before invoking the retry.
+        # Otherwise there is a risk of entering an infinite loop that resets
+        # the timeout counter just before it being triggered. The increment
+        # by 1 second here is customary but should not be much less than that.
+        self.response_iterator = read_method(request, timeout=self.retry._deadline + 1)
 
         self.rows = {}
         self._state = self.STATE_NEW_ROW
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_row_data.py b/tests/unit/test_row_data.py
index 40b2ffe30..c59da844b 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_row_data.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_row_data.py
@@ -385,10 +385,16 @@ def test_constructor(self):
         self.assertEqual(partial_rows_data.retry, DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS)
 
     def test_constructor_with_retry(self):
+        from google.cloud.bigtable.row_data import DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS
+
         client = _Client()
         client._data_stub = mock.MagicMock()
-        request = retry = object()
+        request = object()
+        retry = DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS
         partial_rows_data = self._make_one(client._data_stub.ReadRows, request, retry)
+        partial_rows_data.read_method.assert_called_once_with(
+            request, timeout=DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS.deadline + 1
+        )
         self.assertIs(partial_rows_data.request, request)
         self.assertEqual(partial_rows_data.rows, {})
         self.assertEqual(partial_rows_data.retry, retry)
@@ -471,6 +477,7 @@ def test_state_new_row_w_row(self):
         request = object()
 
         yrd = self._make_one(client._table_data_client.transport.read_rows, request)
+        self.assertEqual(yrd.retry._deadline, 60.0)
 
         yrd._response_iterator = iterator
         rows = [row for row in yrd]
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_table.py b/tests/unit/test_table.py
index 0ea45927d..c99cd6591 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_table.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_table.py
@@ -654,6 +654,7 @@ def test_read_rows(self):
         from google.cloud.bigtable import table as MUT
         from google.cloud.bigtable_v2.gapic import bigtable_client
         from google.cloud.bigtable_admin_v2.gapic import bigtable_table_admin_client
+        from google.cloud.bigtable.row_data import DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS
 
         data_api = bigtable_client.BigtableClient(mock.Mock())
         table_api = mock.create_autospec(
@@ -670,7 +671,8 @@ def test_read_rows(self):
         table = self._make_one(self.TABLE_ID, instance, app_profile_id=app_profile_id)
 
         # Create request_pb
-        request = retry = object()  # Returned by our mock.
+        request = object()  # Returned by our mock.
+        retry = DEFAULT_RETRY_READ_ROWS
         mock_created = []
 
         def mock_create_row_request(table_name, **kwargs):