diff --git a/dbus/dbus-connection.c b/dbus/dbus-connection.c
index 53ca34a8..d6894e9a 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-connection.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-connection.c
@@ -2510,7 +2510,7 @@ _dbus_connection_block_pending_call (DBusPendingCall *pending)
            */
           _dbus_verbose ("dbus_connection_send_with_reply_and_block() waiting for more memory\n");
 
-          _dbus_memory_pause_based_on_timeout (timeout_milliseconds - elapsed_milliseconds);
+          _dbus_memory_pause_based_on_timeout (-1);
         }
       else
         {          
@@ -2519,7 +2519,7 @@ _dbus_connection_block_pending_call (DBusPendingCall *pending)
                                                   pending,
                                                   DBUS_ITERATION_DO_READING |
                                                   DBUS_ITERATION_BLOCK,
-                                                  timeout_milliseconds - elapsed_milliseconds);
+                                                  -1);
         }
 
       goto recheck_status;
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-sysdeps-pthread.c b/dbus/dbus-sysdeps-pthread.c
index f9c25604..3955a0d3 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-sysdeps-pthread.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-sysdeps-pthread.c
@@ -229,6 +229,8 @@ _dbus_platform_condvar_wait_timeout (DBusCondVar               *cond,
   struct timespec end_time;
   int result;
 
+  _dbus_assert (timeout_milliseconds >= 0);
+
 #ifdef HAVE_MONOTONIC_CLOCK
   if (have_monotonic_clock)
     {