diff --git a/Source/CTest/cmCTestTestCommand.cxx b/Source/CTest/cmCTestTestCommand.cxx
index a802f9290..40979c671 100644
--- a/Source/CTest/cmCTestTestCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/CTest/cmCTestTestCommand.cxx
@@ -38,8 +38,11 @@ cmCTestGenericHandler* cmCTestTestCommand::InitializeHandler()
     }
   else
     {
-    // By default use timeout of 10 minutes
-    timeout = 600;
+    if ( timeout <= 0 )
+      {
+      // By default use timeout of 10 minutes
+      timeout = 600;
+      }
     }
   m_CTest->SetTimeOut(timeout);
   cmCTestGenericHandler* handler = m_CTest->GetInitializedHandler("test");