diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/core/process.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/core/process.py
index 8954674..1823a20 100644
--- a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/core/process.py
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/core/process.py
@@ -125,11 +125,14 @@
 
 class Process(log.Origin):
 
+    DEFAULT_WAIT_TIMEOUT = 300 # seconds
+
     def __init__(self, name, run_dir, popen_args, **popen_kwargs):
         super().__init__(log.C_RUN, name)
         self.process_obj = None
         self.result = None
         self.killed = None
+        self.default_wait_timeout = Process.DEFAULT_WAIT_TIMEOUT
         self.name_str = name
         self.run_dir = run_dir
         self.popen_args = popen_args
@@ -143,6 +146,10 @@
         env[key] = value
         self.popen_kwargs['env'] = env
 
+    def set_default_wait_timeout(self, timeout):
+        assert timeout
+        self.default_wait_timeout = timeout
+
     def make_output_log(self, name):
         '''
         create a non-existing log output file in run_dir to pipe stdout and
@@ -346,7 +353,9 @@
             self.poll()
         return self.result is not None
 
-    def wait(self, timeout=300):
+    def wait(self, timeout=None):
+        if timeout is None:
+            timeout = self.default_wait_timeout
         MainLoop.wait(self.terminated, timeout=timeout)
 
     def stdin_write(self, cmd):
diff --git a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/obj/iperf3.py b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/obj/iperf3.py
index 70fceff..ee62159 100644
--- a/src/osmo_gsm_tester/obj/iperf3.py
+++ b/src/osmo_gsm_tester/obj/iperf3.py
@@ -247,9 +247,11 @@
         self.run_dir = util.Dir(self.testenv.test().get_run_dir().new_dir(self.name()))
         self.log_file = self.run_dir.new_file(IPerf3Client.LOGFILE)
         if self.runs_locally():
-            return self.prepare_test_proc_locally(dir, netns, time_sec, proto == IPerf3Client.PROTO_UDP, bitrate)
+            proc = self.prepare_test_proc_locally(dir, netns, time_sec, proto == IPerf3Client.PROTO_UDP, bitrate)
         else:
-            return self.prepare_test_proc_remotely(dir, netns, time_sec, proto == IPerf3Client.PROTO_UDP, bitrate)
+            proc = self.prepare_test_proc_remotely(dir, netns, time_sec, proto == IPerf3Client.PROTO_UDP, bitrate)
+        proc.set_default_wait_timeout(time_sec + 10) # leave 10 extra sec for remote run, ctrl conn establishment, etc.
+        return proc
 
     def prepare_test_proc_remotely(self, dir, netns, time_sec, use_udp, bitrate):
         self.rem_host = remote.RemoteHost(self.run_dir, self._run_node.ssh_user(), self._run_node.ssh_addr())