diff --git a/src/runit.c b/src/runit.c
index f7d6522..6f0793d 100644
--- a/src/runit.c
+++ b/src/runit.c
@@ -143,22 +143,28 @@ int main (int argc, const char * const *argv, char * const *envp) {
     FD_SET(x.fd, &rfds);
 #endif
     for (;;) {
-      int child;
+      int r, child;
 
       sig_unblock(sig_child);
       sig_unblock(sig_cont);
       sig_unblock(sig_int);
 #ifdef IOPAUSE_POLL
-      poll(&x, 1, -1);
+      r =poll(&x, 1, 5000);
 #else
-      select(x.fd +1, &rfds, (fd_set*)0, (fd_set*)0, (struct timeval*)0);
+      r =select(x.fd +1, &rfds, (fd_set*)0, (fd_set*)0, (struct timeval*)0);
 #endif
       sig_block(sig_cont);
       sig_block(sig_child);
       sig_block(sig_int);
       
-      read(selfpipe[0], &ch, 1);
-      child =wait_nohang(&wstat);
+      while (read(selfpipe[0], &ch, 1) == 1) {}
+      while ((child =wait_nohang(&wstat)) > 0)
+        if (child == pid) break;
+      if (child == -1) {
+        strerr_warn2(WARNING, "wait_nohang, pausing: ", &strerr_sys);
+        sleep(5);
+      }
+      if ((r == 0) && (child != pid)) continue;
 
       /* reget stderr */
       if ((ttyfd =open_write("/dev/console")) != -1) {
@@ -194,7 +200,7 @@ int main (int argc, const char * const *argv, char * const *envp) {
         strerr_warn3(INFO, "leave stage: ", stage[st], 0);
         break;
       }
-      if (child > 0) {
+      if (child != 0) {
         /* collect terminated children */
         write(selfpipe[1], "", 1);
         continue;