diff --git a/galsim/config/util.py b/galsim/config/util.py
index 90999c222a..b7909b359c 100644
--- a/galsim/config/util.py
+++ b/galsim/config/util.py
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ def worker(task_queue, results_queue, config, logger, initializers, initargs):
                 logger.error("%s",traceback.format_exc())
                 # Clear any unclaimed jobs that are still in the queue
                 while not task_queue.empty():
-                    task_queue.get()
+                    task_queue.get(timeout=0.1)
                 # And terminate any jobs that might still be running.
                 for j in range(nproc):
                     p_list[j].terminate()
diff --git a/tests/test_config_output.py b/tests/test_config_output.py
index b47c5b22f3..d84e80778d 100644
--- a/tests/test_config_output.py
+++ b/tests/test_config_output.py
@@ -1664,7 +1664,7 @@ def test_timeout():
     # (PyPy doesn't seem to timeout, so skip this on PyPy.)
     if platform.python_implementation() != 'PyPy':
         config2 = galsim.config.CleanConfig(config2)
-        config2['output']['timeout'] = 0.001
+        config2['output']['timeout'] = 0.0001
         with CaptureLog() as cl:
             with assert_raises(galsim.GalSimError):
                 galsim.config.Process(config2, logger=cl.logger)