diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
index 7abf7874..e8bbe19e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ All relevant changes are documented in this file.
  - Add `runparts -b` (batch mode) support, disables escape sequences
  - New configure `--without-rc-local`, disables `/etc/rc.local` support
  - New configure `--disable-cgroup` option, disables cgroup v2 detection
+ - Extend `initctl` timeout connecting and waiting for Finit reply.  The
+   previous 2 + 2 second poll timeout has proved to be too short on more
+   complex systems.  Now a 15 + 15 second timeout is applied which should
+   be more resistant to temporary overload scenarios, issue #407
 
 ### Fixes
  - Fix #397: system shutdown/reboot can block on console input if action
diff --git a/src/client.c b/src/client.c
index c3fd3aef..a8c06ac4 100644
--- a/src/client.c
+++ b/src/client.c
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@
 #include "client.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
+#define REQUEST_TIMEOUT 15000
+
 static int sd = -1;
 
 int client_connect(void)
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ int client_request(struct init_request *rq, ssize_t len)
 
 	pfd.fd     = sd;
 	pfd.events = POLLOUT;
-	if (poll(&pfd, 1, 2000) <= 0) {
+	if (poll(&pfd, 1, REQUEST_TIMEOUT) <= 0) {
 		warn("Timed out waiting for Finit, errno %d", errno);
 		return -1;
 	}
@@ -107,7 +109,7 @@ int client_request(struct init_request *rq, ssize_t len)
 
 	pfd.fd = sd;
 	pfd.events = POLLIN | POLLERR | POLLHUP;
-	if ((rc = poll(&pfd, 1, 2000)) <= 0) {
+	if ((rc = poll(&pfd, 1, REQUEST_TIMEOUT)) <= 0) {
 		if (rc) {
 			if (errno == EINTR) /* shutdown/reboot */
 				return -1;