An aqueous coating composition comprising a crosslinkable water-dispersible polyester oligomer wherein said composition when drying to form a coating has the following properties: an open time of at least 20 minutes, a wet edge time of at least 10 minutes, a thumb hard time of 48 hours and a tack-free time 20 hours and an equilibrium viscosity of 5000 Pa.s at any solids content when drying in the range of from 20 to 55 wt % using a shear rate in the range of from 90.5 to 905 s^-1 and at 232 C.