diff --git a/plugins/sudoers/policy.c b/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
index 879d2b522..9156eb043 100644
--- a/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
+++ b/plugins/sudoers/policy.c
@@ -676,9 +676,9 @@ sudoers_policy_exec_setup(char *argv[], char *envp[], mode_t cmnd_umask,
 	    goto oom;
     }
     if (def_command_timeout > 0 || user_timeout > 0) {
-	int timeout = def_command_timeout;
-	if (timeout <= 0 || user_timeout < timeout)
-	    timeout = user_timeout;
+	int timeout = user_timeout;
+	if (timeout == 0 || def_command_timeout < timeout)
+	    timeout = def_command_timeout;
 	if (asprintf(&command_info[info_len++], "timeout=%u", timeout) == -1)
 	    goto oom;
     }