diff --git a/cr-dump.c b/cr-dump.c
index ba39d06d3..fabf20acd 100644
--- a/cr-dump.c
+++ b/cr-dump.c
@@ -1384,6 +1384,25 @@ err_cure_imgset:
 	goto err;
 }
 
+typedef void (*sa_handler_t)(int);
+
+static int setup_alarm_handler(sa_handler_t handler)
+{
+	struct sigaction sa = {
+		.sa_handler	= handler,
+		.sa_flags	= 0,
+	};
+
+	sigemptyset(&sa.sa_mask);
+	sigaddset(&sa.sa_mask, SIGALRM);
+	if (sigaction(SIGALRM, &sa, NULL)) {
+		pr_perror("Unable to setup SIGALRM handler");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int cr_pre_dump_finish(struct list_head *ctls, int ret)
 {
 	struct parasite_ctl *ctl, *n;
@@ -1436,6 +1455,15 @@ static int cr_pre_dump_finish(struct list_head *ctls, int ret)
 	return ret;
 }
 
+void pre_dump_alarm_handler(int signum)
+{
+	LIST_HEAD(empty_list);
+
+	pr_err("Timeout reached\n");
+	cr_pre_dump_finish(&empty_list, -1);
+	exit(-1);
+}
+
 int cr_pre_dump_tasks(pid_t pid)
 {
 	struct pstree_item *item;
@@ -1470,6 +1498,9 @@ int cr_pre_dump_tasks(pid_t pid)
 	if (connect_to_page_server())
 		goto err;
 
+	if (setup_alarm_handler(pre_dump_alarm_handler))
+		goto err;
+
 	if (collect_pstree(pid))
 		goto err;
 
@@ -1570,6 +1601,13 @@ static int cr_dump_finish(int ret)
 	return post_dump_ret ? : (ret != 0);
 }
 
+void dump_alarm_handler(int signum)
+{
+	pr_err("Timeout reached\n");
+	cr_dump_finish(-1);
+	exit(-1);
+}
+
 int cr_dump_tasks(pid_t pid)
 {
 	struct pstree_item *item;
@@ -1617,6 +1655,9 @@ int cr_dump_tasks(pid_t pid)
 	if (connect_to_page_server())
 		goto err;
 
+	if (setup_alarm_handler(dump_alarm_handler))
+		goto err;
+
 	/*
 	 * The collect_pstree will also stop (PTRACE_SEIZE) the tasks
 	 * thus ensuring that they don't modify anything we collect
diff --git a/crtools.c b/crtools.c
index f357c0ca4..6d5817fc1 100644
--- a/crtools.c
+++ b/crtools.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ void init_opts(void)
 	opts.manage_cgroups = CG_MODE_DEFAULT;
 	opts.ps_socket = -1;
 	opts.ghost_limit = DEFAULT_GHOST_LIMIT;
+	opts.timeout = DEFAULT_TIMEOUT;
 }
 
 static int parse_ns_string(const char *ptr)
@@ -255,6 +256,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		{ "ghost-limit",		required_argument,	0, 1069 },
 		{ "irmap-scan-path",		required_argument,	0, 1070 },
 		{ "lsm-profile",		required_argument,	0, 1071 },
+		{ "timeout",			required_argument,	0, 1072 },
 		{ },
 	};
 
@@ -503,6 +505,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		case 1071:
 			if (parse_lsm_arg(optarg) < 0)
 				return -1;
+		case 1072:
+			opts.timeout = atoi(optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'M':
 			{
diff --git a/include/cr_options.h b/include/cr_options.h
index 2b1054dde..133595a88 100644
--- a/include/cr_options.h
+++ b/include/cr_options.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ struct cg_root_opt {
  */
 #define DEFAULT_GHOST_LIMIT	(1 << 20)
 
+#define DEFAULT_TIMEOUT		5
+
 struct irmap;
 
 struct irmap_path_opt {
@@ -97,6 +99,7 @@ struct cr_options {
 	struct list_head	irmap_scan_paths;
 	bool			lsm_supplied;
 	char			*lsm_profile;
+	unsigned int		timeout;
 };
 
 extern struct cr_options opts;
diff --git a/seize.c b/seize.c
index 891f5d01f..7e93d3460 100644
--- a/seize.c
+++ b/seize.c
@@ -640,6 +640,13 @@ int collect_pstree(pid_t pid)
 		goto err;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * wait4() may hang for some reason. Enable timer and fire SIGALRM
+	 * if timeout reached. SIGALRM handler will do  the necessary
+	 * cleanups and terminate current process.
+	 */
+	alarm(opts.timeout);
+
 	ret = seize_wait_task(pid, -1, &dmpi(root_item)->pi_creds);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto err;
@@ -658,6 +665,8 @@ int collect_pstree(pid_t pid)
 	timing_start(TIME_FROZEN);
 
 err:
+	/* Freezing stage finished in time - disable timer. */
+	alarm(0);
 	return ret;
 }