diff --git a/Testsuite/test/run_testsuite_with_cmake b/Testsuite/test/run_testsuite_with_cmake
index 269e13a97fb..0bdad3f1d1a 100755
--- a/Testsuite/test/run_testsuite_with_cmake
+++ b/Testsuite/test/run_testsuite_with_cmake
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ if [ -n "$CGAL_TEST_PLATFORM" ]; then
 else 
     PLATFORM=no-platform
 fi
+if [ -n "${CGAL_TIMEOUT_PROG+x}" ]; then
+    TIMEOUT=$CGAL_TIMEOUT_PROG
+else
+    TIMEOUT=`which timeout`
+fi
 
 #clear the error file
 rm -f "$ERRORFILE"
@@ -111,12 +116,17 @@ run_local_cgal_test()
     MAKEFLAGS=
     export MAKEFLAGS
 
-    eval ./cgal_test_with_cmake > current_compiler_output 2>&1
+    if [ -n "$TIMEOUT" ]; then
+        "$TIMEOUT" $(( $TIME_PERIOD * 5 )) ./cgal_test_with_cmake > current_compiler_output 2>&1
+    else
+        ./cgal_test_with_cmake > current_compiler_output 2>&1
+    fi
     exit_value=$?
     if [ $exit_value -ne 0 ]
     then
          printf "%s\n" "$exit_value" > test_failure
     fi
+    return $exit_value
 }
 
 #test_directory <directory> <already_here>
@@ -152,23 +162,39 @@ test_directory()
       export PLATFORM TESTSUITE_CXXFLAGS TESTSUITE_LDFLAGS
       rm -f error.txt
       START=`date +%s`
-      run_local_cgal_test &
-
       TIME_PERIOD=1200
       if [ "$1" = "Polyhedron_Demo" ]; then
         TIME_PERIOD=2400
       fi
-      if wait_for_process "$!" "$TIME_PERIOD" "5"
-      then
-	if [ -f test_failure  ] ; then
-            exit_failure=`cat test_failure`
-	    rm -f test_failure
-	    echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERRORFILE"
-	    echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
-	fi
+      if [ -n "$TIMEOUT" ]; then
+          run_local_cgal_test
+          return_code=$?
+          if [ $return_code -eq 124 ]; then
+	      echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERRORFILE"
+	      echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
+          else
+	      if [ -f test_failure  ] ; then
+                  exit_failure=`cat test_failure`
+	          rm -f test_failure
+	          echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERRORFILE"
+	          echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
+	      fi
+          fi
       else
-	echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERRORFILE"
-	echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
+          run_local_cgal_test &
+
+          if wait_for_process "$!" "$TIME_PERIOD" "5"
+          then
+	      if [ -f test_failure  ] ; then
+                  exit_failure=`cat test_failure`
+	          rm -f test_failure
+	          echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERRORFILE"
+	          echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake exited with error condition $exit_value" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
+	      fi
+          else
+	      echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERRORFILE"
+	      echo "ERROR: cgal_test_with_cmake did not finish within the time bound set" >> "$ERROR_OUTPUT"
+          fi
       fi
       STOP=`date +%s`
       DURATION=`expr "$STOP" - "$START"`