diff --git a/src/kdeinitinterface.cpp b/src/kdeinitinterface.cpp
--- a/src/kdeinitinterface.cpp
+++ b/src/kdeinitinterface.cpp
@@ -34,14 +34,16 @@
 
 void KDEInitInterface::ensureKdeinitRunning()
 {
+    const int timeout=5000; // 5 seconds top to get a lock for startkdeinitlock
+
     QDBusConnectionInterface *dbusDaemon = KDBusConnectionPool::threadConnection().interface();
     if (dbusDaemon->isServiceRegistered(QStringLiteral("org.kde.klauncher5"))) {
         return;
     }
     qCDebug(KDBUSADDONS_LOG) << "klauncher not running... launching kdeinit";
 
     QLockFile lock(QDir::tempPath() + QLatin1Char('/') + QLatin1String("startkdeinitlock"));
-    if (!lock.tryLock()) {
+    if (!lock.tryLock(timeout)) {
         lock.lock();
         if (dbusDaemon->isServiceRegistered(QStringLiteral("org.kde.klauncher5"))) {
             return;    // whoever held the lock has already started it