diff --git a/data/int_pty.go b/data/int_pty.go
index dd9725a..644cf10 100644
--- a/data/int_pty.go
+++ b/data/int_pty.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ type PtyInteractiveShell struct {
 	file      io.WriteCloser
 	ch        chan string
 	errCount  int
+	timeout   time.Duration
 }
 
 func (s *PtyInteractiveShell) init() error {
@@ -119,13 +120,11 @@ await:
 
 func (s *PtyInteractiveShell) getAwaitTimeout() time.Duration {
 
-	timeout := time.Duration(s.item.rateMs) * time.Millisecond
-
-	if timeout > maxAwaitTimeout {
+	if s.timeout > maxAwaitTimeout {
 		return maxAwaitTimeout
-	} else if timeout < minAwaitTimeout {
+	} else if s.timeout < minAwaitTimeout {
 		return minAwaitTimeout
 	}
 
-	return timeout
+	return s.timeout
 }
diff --git a/data/int_shell.go b/data/int_shell.go
index 70fa7dd..f42d9eb 100644
--- a/data/int_shell.go
+++ b/data/int_shell.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ type BasicInteractiveShell struct {
 	stdin     io.WriteCloser
 	cmd       *exec.Cmd
 	errCount  int
+	timeout   time.Duration
 }
 
 func (s *BasicInteractiveShell) init() error {
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ func (s *BasicInteractiveShell) execute() (string, error) {
 	timeout := make(chan bool, 1)
 
 	go func() {
-		time.Sleep(time.Duration(s.item.rateMs / 2))
+		time.Sleep(s.timeout)
 		timeout <- true
 	}()
 
diff --git a/data/item.go b/data/item.go
index aa04f8d..25f1e32 100644
--- a/data/item.go
+++ b/data/item.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/sqshq/sampler/config"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"time"
 )
 
 const errorThreshold = 10
@@ -73,11 +74,12 @@ func (i *Item) execute(variables []string, script string) (string, error) {
 }
 
 func (i *Item) initInteractiveShell(v []string) error {
+	timeout := time.Duration(i.rateMs) * time.Millisecond * 3 / 4
 	if i.pty {
-		i.ptyShell = &PtyInteractiveShell{item: i, variables: v}
+		i.ptyShell = &PtyInteractiveShell{item: i, variables: v, timeout: timeout}
 		return i.ptyShell.init()
 	} else {
-		i.basicShell = &BasicInteractiveShell{item: i, variables: v}
+		i.basicShell = &BasicInteractiveShell{item: i, variables: v, timeout: timeout}
 		return i.basicShell.init()
 	}
 }