--- loncom/loncron	2011/06/03 20:45:10	1.90
+++ loncom/loncron	2011/10/28 14:26:15	1.91
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 # Housekeeping program, started by cron, loncontrol and loncron.pl
 #
-# $Id: loncron,v 1.90 2011/06/03 20:45:10 raeburn Exp $
+# $Id: loncron,v 1.91 2011/10/28 14:26:15 raeburn Exp $
 #
 # Copyright Michigan State University Board of Trustees
 #
@@ -652,8 +652,18 @@ sub check_delayed_msg {
 # pong to all servers that have delayed messages
 # this will trigger a reverse connection, which should flush the buffers
     foreach my $tryserver (keys %servers) {
-	my $answer=&Apache::lonnet::reply("pong",$tryserver);
-	&log($fh,"Pong to $tryserver: $answer<br />");
+        my $answer;
+        eval {
+            local $SIG{ ALRM } = sub { die "TIMEOUT" };
+            alarm(20);
+            $answer = &Apache::lonnet::reply("pong",$tryserver);
+            alarm(0);
+        };
+        if ($@ && $@ =~ m/TIMEOUT/) {
+             print "time out while contacting: $tryserver for pong\n";
+        } else {
+	     &log($fh,"Pong to $tryserver: $answer<br />");
+        }
     }
 }