diff --git a/src/timer.cpp b/src/timer.cpp
index 583c6a2b3f..9c1aa87943 100644
--- a/src/timer.cpp
+++ b/src/timer.cpp
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ Timer::Timer(LAMMPS *lmp) : Pointers(lmp)
 {
   _level = NORMAL;
   _sync  = OFF;
-  _timeout = -1.0;
+  _timeout = -1;
+  _s_timeout = -1;
   _checkfreq = 10;
   _nextcheck = -1;
-  _laststep = -1;
   this->_stamp(RESET);
 }
 
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ void Timer::set_wall(enum ttype which, double newtime)
 
 void Timer::init_timeout()
 {
-  _laststep = -1;
+  _s_timeout = _timeout;
   if (_timeout < 0)
     _nextcheck = -1;
   else
@@ -249,14 +249,6 @@ void Timer::print_timeout(FILE *fp)
 
 /* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
 
-void Timer::force_timeout()
-{
-  _timeout = 0.0;
-  _nextcheck = _laststep + 1;
-}
-
-/* ---------------------------------------------------------------------- */
-
 bool Timer::_check_timeout()
 {
   double walltime = MPI_Wtime() - timeout_start;
diff --git a/src/timer.h b/src/timer.h
index ff9c66db7c..6159180faf 100644
--- a/src/timer.h
+++ b/src/timer.h
@@ -64,7 +64,10 @@ class Timer : protected Pointers {
   void init_timeout();
 
   // trigger enforced timeout
-  void force_timeout();
+  void force_timeout() { _timeout = 0.0; }
+
+  // restore original timeout setting after enforce timeout
+  void reset_timeout() { _timeout = _s_timeout; }
 
   // get remaining time in seconds. 0.0 if inactive, negative if expired
   double get_timeout_remain();
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ class Timer : protected Pointers {
   // check for timeout. inline wrapper around internal
   // function to reduce overhead in case there is no check.
   bool check_timeout(int step) {
-    _laststep = step;
+    if (_timeout == 0.0) return true;
     if (_nextcheck != step) return false;
     else return _check_timeout();
   }
@@ -91,9 +94,9 @@ class Timer : protected Pointers {
   int _level;     // level of detail: off=0,loop=1,normal=2,full=3
   int _sync;      // if nonzero, synchronize tasks before setting the timer
   int _timeout;   // max allowed wall time in seconds. infinity if negative
+  int _s_timeout; // copy of timeout for restoring after a forced timeout
   int _checkfreq; // frequency of timeout checking
   int _nextcheck; // loop number of next timeout check
-  int _laststep;  // loop number of last iteration
 
   // update one specific timer array
   void _stamp(enum ttype);