diff --git a/test/probe/__init__.py b/test/probe/__init__.py
index fb8af91d09..e8e82ba9ee 100644
--- a/test/probe/__init__.py
+++ b/test/probe/__init__.py
@@ -17,15 +17,40 @@
 import eventlet
 eventlet.monkey_patch()
 
+import subprocess
 from test import get_config
 from swift.common.utils import config_true_value
 
 
 config = get_config('probe_test')
 CHECK_SERVER_TIMEOUT = int(config.get('check_server_timeout', 30))
+SUBPROCESS_WAIT_TIMEOUT = int(config.get('subprocess_wait_timeout',
+                                         CHECK_SERVER_TIMEOUT))
 VALIDATE_RSYNC = config_true_value(config.get('validate_rsync', False))
 PROXY_BASE_URL = config.get('proxy_base_url')
 if PROXY_BASE_URL is None:
     # TODO: find and load an "appropriate" proxy-server.conf(.d), piece
     # something together from bind_ip, bind_port, and cert_file
     PROXY_BASE_URL = 'http://127.0.0.1:8080'
+orig_popen_wait = subprocess.Popen.wait
+
+
+def wait_with_timeout(self, timeout=None, check_interval=0.01):
+    # We want to always have a timeout; no probe test should need to wait
+    # on even minute-long running processes.
+    timeout = SUBPROCESS_WAIT_TIMEOUT if timeout is None else timeout
+    try:
+        return orig_popen_wait(
+            self, timeout=timeout, check_interval=check_interval)
+    except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+        # Assume we tripped https://github.com/eventlet/eventlet/issues/989
+        # Kill the process (it should be mid-shutdown anyway) and log about it
+        print('WARNING: killing long running daemon after %ss: %r'
+              % (timeout, self.args))
+        self.kill()
+        # return 128 + 9 = 137 which is same as if using a command line like
+        # 'timeout -s KILL <timeout> <command>'
+        return 137
+
+
+subprocess.Popen.wait = wait_with_timeout
diff --git a/test/sample.conf b/test/sample.conf
index b543988352..071b706b6c 100644
--- a/test/sample.conf
+++ b/test/sample.conf
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ fake_syslog = False
 
 [probe_test]
 # check_server_timeout = 30
+# subprocess_wait_timeout = 30
 # validate_rsync = false
 # proxy_base_url = http://localhost:8080