diff --git a/test.sh b/test.sh
index 36f6b20df..43c9d35a6 100644
--- a/test.sh
+++ b/test.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 FILES="hermit/usr/tests/hello hermit/usr/tests/hellof hermit/usr/tests/hello++ hermit/usr/tests/thr_hello hermit/usr/tests/pi hermit/usr/benchmarks/stream hermit/usr/benchmarks/basic"
 PROXY=hermit/tools/proxy
 
-for f in $FILES; do echo "check $f..."; timeout 180 $PROXY $f || exit 1; done
+for f in $FILES; do echo "check $f..."; timeout --preserve-status 3m $PROXY $f || exit 1; done
 
 # test echo server at port 8000
 $PROXY hermit/usr/tests/server &