diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 34133d4..e9de497 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ str_name = ${?HOME}
 dash-to-underscore = true
 float_num = 2.2
 iso_datetime = "2000-01-01T20:00:00"
+iso_duration = "P123DT4H5M6S"
 # this is a comment
 list_data = [
     a
@@ -87,6 +88,7 @@ class Config:
     dash_to_underscore: bool
     float_num: float
     iso_datetime: datetime
+    iso_duration: timedelta
     list_data: List[Text]
     nested: Nested
     nested_list: List[Nested]
diff --git a/confs/readme.hocon b/confs/readme.hocon
index a6a03db..616b077 100644
--- a/confs/readme.hocon
+++ b/confs/readme.hocon
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ str_name = ${?HOME}
 dash-to-underscore = true
 float_num = 2.2
 iso_datetime = "2000-01-01T20:00:00"
+iso_duration = "P123DT4H5M6S"
 # this is a comment
 list_data = [
     a
diff --git a/dataconf/utils.py b/dataconf/utils.py
index 89ee85d..833357a 100644
--- a/dataconf/utils.py
+++ b/dataconf/utils.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from dataclasses import fields
 from dataclasses import is_dataclass
 from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import timedelta
 from enum import Enum
 from enum import IntEnum
 from inspect import isclass
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@
 from pyhocon import ConfigFactory
 from pyhocon.config_tree import ConfigList
 from pyhocon.config_tree import ConfigTree
+from isodate import parse_duration
+from isodate import Duration
 import pyparsing
 
 from dataconf.version import PY310up
@@ -220,6 +223,20 @@ def __parse(value: any, clazz: Type, path: str, strict: bool, ignore_unexpected:
                 f"expected type {clazz} at {path}, cannot parse due to {e}"
             )
 
+    if clazz is timedelta:
+        dt = __parse_type(value, clazz, path, isinstance(value, str))
+        try:
+            duration = parse_duration(dt)
+            if isinstance(duration, Duration):
+                raise ParseException(
+                    "The ISO 8601 duration provided can not contain years or months"
+                )
+            return duration
+        except ValueError as e:
+            raise ParseException(
+                f"expected type {clazz} at {path}, cannot parse due to {e}"
+            )
+
     if clazz is relativedelta:
         return __parse_type(value, clazz, path, isinstance(value, relativedelta))
 
diff --git a/poetry.lock b/poetry.lock
index 1b3d1b4..8e94500 100644
--- a/poetry.lock
+++ b/poetry.lock
@@ -255,6 +255,20 @@ files = [
     {file = "iniconfig-2.0.0.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:2d91e135bf72d31a410b17c16da610a82cb55f6b0477d1a902134b24a455b8b3"},
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "isodate"
+version = "0.6.1"
+description = "An ISO 8601 date/time/duration parser and formatter"
+optional = false
+python-versions = "*"
+files = [
+    {file = "isodate-0.6.1-py2.py3-none-any.whl", hash = "sha256:0751eece944162659049d35f4f549ed815792b38793f07cf73381c1c87cbed96"},
+    {file = "isodate-0.6.1.tar.gz", hash = "sha256:48c5881de7e8b0a0d648cb024c8062dc84e7b840ed81e864c7614fd3c127bde9"},
+]
+
+[package.dependencies]
+six = "*"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "jinja2"
 version = "3.1.3"
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 72bbbcd..0217152 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ pyhocon = "0.3.59"
 python-dateutil = "^2.8.2"
 PyYAML = "^6.0.1"
 pyparsing = "2.4.7"
+isodate = "^0.6.1"
 
 [tool.poetry.group.dev.dependencies]
 pytest = ">=7.4.2,<9.0.0"
diff --git a/tests/test_parse.py b/tests/test_parse.py
index c9cf37e..8d8e15c 100644
--- a/tests/test_parse.py
+++ b/tests/test_parse.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from dataclasses import field
 from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import timedelta
 from datetime import timezone
 from enum import Enum
 from enum import IntEnum
@@ -303,6 +304,49 @@ class A:
         with pytest.raises(ParseException):
             assert loads(conf, A)
 
+    def test_duration(self) -> None:
+        @dataclass
+        class A:
+            b: timedelta
+
+        conf = """
+        b = "P123DT4H5M6S"
+        """
+        assert loads(conf, A) == A(b=timedelta(days=123, hours=4, minutes=5, seconds=6))
+
+    def test_bad_duration(self) -> None:
+        @dataclass
+        class A:
+            b: timedelta
+
+        conf = """
+        b = "P123D4H5M6S"
+        """
+        with pytest.raises(ParseException):
+            assert loads(conf, A)
+
+    def test_unsupported_duration_with_year(self) -> None:
+        @dataclass
+        class A:
+            b: timedelta
+
+        conf = """
+        b = "P1Y"
+        """
+        with pytest.raises(ParseException):
+            assert loads(conf, A)
+
+    def test_unsupported_duration_with_month(self) -> None:
+        @dataclass
+        class A:
+            b: timedelta
+
+        conf = """
+        b = "P1M"
+        """
+        with pytest.raises(ParseException):
+            assert loads(conf, A)
+
     def test_optional_with_default(self) -> None:
         @dataclass
         class A:
diff --git a/tests/test_regression.py b/tests/test_regression.py
index b4b79a3..c801068 100644
--- a/tests/test_regression.py
+++ b/tests/test_regression.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from dataclasses import field
 from datetime import datetime
+from datetime import timedelta
 import os
 import tempfile
 from typing import Dict
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ class Config:
             dash_to_underscore: bool
             float_num: float
             iso_datetime: datetime
+            iso_duration: timedelta
             list_data: List[Text]
             nested: Nested
             nested_list: List[Nested]
@@ -63,6 +65,7 @@ class Config:
             dash_to_underscore=True,
             float_num=2.2,
             iso_datetime=datetime(2000, 1, 1, 20),
+            iso_duration=timedelta(days=123, hours=4, minutes=5, seconds=6),
             list_data=["a", "b"],
             nested=Nested(a="test", b=1),
             nested_list=[Nested(a="test1", b=2.5)],