diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/core/execution/DeciderService.java b/core/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/core/execution/DeciderService.java
index d724877136..67f999f380 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/core/execution/DeciderService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/netflix/conductor/core/execution/DeciderService.java
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ void checkForTimeout(TaskDef taskDef, Task task) {
             LOGGER.warn("missing task type " + task.getTaskDefName() + ", workflowId=" + task.getWorkflowInstanceId());
             return;
         }
-        if (task.getStatus().isTerminal() || taskDef.getTimeoutSeconds() <= 0 || !task.getStatus().equals(IN_PROGRESS)) {
+        if (task.getStatus().isTerminal() || taskDef.getTimeoutSeconds() <= 0 || task.getStartTime() <= 0) {
             return;
         }
 
diff --git a/test-harness/src/test/resources/integration/scenarios/legacy/test_execution_times_wf.json b/test-harness/src/test/resources/integration/scenarios/legacy/test_execution_times_wf.json
index b134c1c16f..df048e6e27 100644
--- a/test-harness/src/test/resources/integration/scenarios/legacy/test_execution_times_wf.json
+++ b/test-harness/src/test/resources/integration/scenarios/legacy/test_execution_times_wf.json
@@ -175,9 +175,9 @@
       "taskDefName": "junit_task_1",
       "startDelayInSeconds": 0,
       "scheduledTime": 1534990536309,
-      "startTime": 1534990536315,
-      "endTime": 1534990536429,
-      "updateTime": 1534990536429,
+      "startTime": 0,
+      "endTime": 0,
+      "updateTime": 0,
       "retried": false,
       "executed": false,
       "callbackFromWorker": true,
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@
       "taskDefName": "junit_task_1",
       "startDelayInSeconds": 0,
       "scheduledTime": 1534990536329,
-      "startTime": 1534990536335,
-      "endTime": 1534990536449,
-      "updateTime": 1534990536449,
+      "startTime": 0,
+      "endTime": 0,
+      "updateTime": 0,
       "retried": false,
       "executed": false,
       "callbackFromWorker": true,