diff --git a/exercises/euca.sh b/exercises/euca.sh
index bf6910decf..9605ace2bc 100755
--- a/exercises/euca.sh
+++ b/exercises/euca.sh
@@ -28,8 +28,8 @@ IMAGE=`euca-describe-images | grep machine | cut -f2`
 INSTANCE=`euca-run-instances $IMAGE | grep INSTANCE | cut -f2`
 
 # assure it has booted within a reasonable time
-if ! timeout $BOOT_TIMEOUT sh -c "while euca-describe-instances $INSTANCE | grep -q running; do sleep 1; done"; then
-    echo "server didn't become active within $BOOT_TIMEOUT seconds"
+if ! timeout $RUNNING_TIMEOUT sh -c "while euca-describe-instances $INSTANCE | grep -q running; do sleep 1; done"; then
+    echo "server didn't become active within $RUNNING_TIMEOUT seconds"
     exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/openrc b/openrc
index db1a7d1261..4b36112ee4 100644
--- a/openrc
+++ b/openrc
@@ -55,5 +55,8 @@ export BOOT_TIMEOUT=${BOOT_TIMEOUT:-15}
 # Max time to wait while vm goes from build to active state
 export ACTIVE_TIMEOUT=${ACTIVE_TIMEOUT:-10}
 
+# Max time from run instance command until it is running
+export RUNNING_TIMEOUT=${RUNNING_TIMEOUT:-$(($BOOT_TIMEOUT + $ACTIVE_TIMEOUT))}
+
 # Max time to wait for proper IP association and dis-association.
 export ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT=${ASSOCIATE_TIMEOUT:-10}