diff --git a/django_q/cluster.py b/django_q/cluster.py
index dc1b46cf..534f8871 100644
--- a/django_q/cluster.py
+++ b/django_q/cluster.py
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ def reincarnate(self, process):
         else:
             self.pool.remove(process)
             self.spawn_worker()
-            if self.timeout and int(process.timer.value) == 0:
+            if process.timer.value == 0:
                 # only need to terminate on timeout, otherwise we risk destabilizing the queues
                 process.terminate()
                 logger.warn(_("reincarnated worker {} after timeout").format(process.name))
@@ -210,11 +210,11 @@ def guard(self):
             # Check Workers
             for p in self.pool:
                 # Are you alive?
-                if not p.is_alive() or (self.timeout and p.timer.value == 0):
+                if not p.is_alive() or p.timer.value == 0:
                     self.reincarnate(p)
                     continue
                 # Decrement timer if work is being done
-                if self.timeout and p.timer.value > 0:
+                if p.timer.value > 0:
                     p.timer.value -= cycle
             # Check Monitor
             if not self.monitor.is_alive():
@@ -347,6 +347,8 @@ def worker(task_queue, result_queue, timer, timeout=Conf.TIMEOUT):
     name = current_process().name
     logger.info(_('{} ready for work at {}').format(name, current_process().pid))
     task_count = 0
+    if timeout is None:
+        timeout = -1
     # Start reading the task queue
     for task in iter(task_queue.get, 'STOP'):
         result = None
@@ -368,7 +370,7 @@ def worker(task_queue, result_queue, timer, timeout=Conf.TIMEOUT):
         # We're still going
         if not result:
             db.close_old_connections()
-            timer_value = task['kwargs'].pop('timeout', timeout or 0)
+            timer_value = task['kwargs'].pop('timeout', timeout)
             # signal execution
             pre_execute.send(sender="django_q", func=f, task=task)
             # execute the payload
diff --git a/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py b/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
index 3355052c..5e289d73 100644
--- a/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
+++ b/django_q/tests/test_cluster.py
@@ -244,16 +244,21 @@ def test_enqueue(broker, admin_user):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
-def test_timeout(broker):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('cluster_config_timeout, async_task_kwargs', (
+    (1, {}),
+    (10, {'timeout': 1}),
+    (None, {'timeout': 1}),
+))
+def test_timeout(broker, cluster_config_timeout, async_task_kwargs):
     # set up the Sentinel
     broker.list_key = 'timeout_test:q'
     broker.purge_queue()
-    async_task('django_q.tests.tasks.count_forever', broker=broker)
+    async_task('time.sleep', 5, broker=broker, **async_task_kwargs)
     start_event = Event()
     stop_event = Event()
     # Set a timer to stop the Sentinel
     threading.Timer(3, stop_event.set).start()
-    s = Sentinel(stop_event, start_event, broker=broker, timeout=1)
+    s = Sentinel(stop_event, start_event, broker=broker, timeout=cluster_config_timeout)
     assert start_event.is_set()
     assert s.status() == Conf.STOPPED
     assert s.reincarnations == 1
@@ -261,18 +266,25 @@ def test_timeout(broker):
 
 
 @pytest.mark.django_db
-def test_timeout_override(broker):
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('cluster_config_timeout, async_task_kwargs', (
+    (5, {}),
+    (10, {'timeout': 5}),
+    (1, {'timeout': 5}),
+    (None, {'timeout': 5}),
+))
+def test_timeout_task_finishes(broker, cluster_config_timeout, async_task_kwargs):
     # set up the Sentinel
-    broker.list_key = 'timeout_override_test:q'
-    async_task('django_q.tests.tasks.count_forever', broker=broker, timeout=1)
+    broker.list_key = 'timeout_test:q'
+    broker.purge_queue()
+    async_task('time.sleep', 3, broker=broker, **async_task_kwargs)
     start_event = Event()
     stop_event = Event()
     # Set a timer to stop the Sentinel
-    threading.Timer(3, stop_event.set).start()
-    s = Sentinel(stop_event, start_event, broker=broker, timeout=10)
+    threading.Timer(6, stop_event.set).start()
+    s = Sentinel(stop_event, start_event, broker=broker, timeout=cluster_config_timeout)
     assert start_event.is_set()
     assert s.status() == Conf.STOPPED
-    assert s.reincarnations == 1
+    assert s.reincarnations == 0
     broker.delete_queue()