diff --git a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
index e7bd8b147b..b5c757a927 100644
--- a/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
+++ b/meta/lib/oeqa/utils/qemurunner.py
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ class QemuRunner:
             reachedlogin = False
             stopread = False
             while time.time() < endtime and not stopread:
-                sread, swrite, serror = select.select(socklist, [], [], 0)
+                sread, swrite, serror = select.select(socklist, [], [], 5)
                 for sock in sread:
                     if sock is self.server_socket:
                         self.qemusock, addr = self.server_socket.accept()