diff --git a/client/crashpad_client.h b/client/crashpad_client.h
index 844512f1..f6f3395c 100644
--- a/client/crashpad_client.h
+++ b/client/crashpad_client.h
@@ -173,9 +173,12 @@ class CrashpadClient {
   //!
   //! This method should not be used unless `asynchronous_start` was `true`.
   //!
+  //! \param[in] timeout_ms The number of milliseconds to wait for a result from
+  //!     the background launch, or `0xffffffff` to block indefinitely.
+  //!
   //! \return `true` if the hander startup succeeded, `false` otherwise, and an
   //!     error message will have been logged.
-  bool WaitForHandlerStart();
+  bool WaitForHandlerStart(unsigned int timeout_ms);
 
   //! \brief Requests that the handler capture a dump even though there hasn't
   //!     been a crash.
diff --git a/client/crashpad_client_win.cc b/client/crashpad_client_win.cc
index becfc019..7a3d0047 100644
--- a/client/crashpad_client_win.cc
+++ b/client/crashpad_client_win.cc
@@ -689,10 +689,16 @@ std::wstring CrashpadClient::GetHandlerIPCPipe() const {
   return ipc_pipe_;
 }
 
-bool CrashpadClient::WaitForHandlerStart() {
+bool CrashpadClient::WaitForHandlerStart(unsigned int timeout_ms) {
   DCHECK(handler_start_thread_.is_valid());
-  if (WaitForSingleObject(handler_start_thread_.get(), INFINITE) !=
-      WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
+  DWORD result = WaitForSingleObject(handler_start_thread_.get(), timeout_ms);
+  if (result == WAIT_TIMEOUT) {
+    LOG(ERROR) << "WaitForSingleObject timed out";
+    return false;
+  } else if (result == WAIT_ABANDONED) {
+    LOG(ERROR) << "WaitForSingleObject abandoned";
+    return false;
+  } else if (result != WAIT_OBJECT_0) {
     PLOG(ERROR) << "WaitForSingleObject";
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/client/crashpad_client_win_test.cc b/client/crashpad_client_win_test.cc
index 94a9b0cc..47e7add9 100644
--- a/client/crashpad_client_win_test.cc
+++ b/client/crashpad_client_win_test.cc
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ void StartAndUseHandler() {
                                   std::vector<std::string>(),
                                   true,
                                   true));
-  ASSERT_TRUE(client.WaitForHandlerStart());
+  ASSERT_TRUE(client.WaitForHandlerStart(INFINITE));
 }
 
 class StartWithInvalidHandles final : public WinMultiprocess {