diff --git a/wait-for-it.sh b/wait-for-it.sh
index f28d3b9..dca4d37 100755
--- a/wait-for-it.sh
+++ b/wait-for-it.sh
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ wait_for()
             nc -z -w 10 $WAITFORIT_HOST $WAITFORIT_PORT
             WAITFORIT_result=$?
         else
-            (echo -n > /dev/tcp/$WAITFORIT_HOST/$WAITFORIT_PORT) >/dev/null 2>&1
+            timeout 10 bash -c "(echo -n > /dev/tcp/$WAITFORIT_HOST/$WAITFORIT_PORT) >/dev/null 2>&1"
             WAITFORIT_result=$?
         fi
         if [[ $WAITFORIT_result -eq 0 ]]; then