diff --git a/interp/interp.go b/interp/interp.go
index a4afd1fd..1355bfb0 100644
--- a/interp/interp.go
+++ b/interp/interp.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ package interp
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
-	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -79,7 +78,10 @@ type interp struct {
 	noExec        bool
 	noFileWrites  bool
 	noFileReads   bool
-	timeout       time.Duration
+	// limited the amount of runtime
+	runtimeLimit time.Duration
+	// Time of whn
+	startTime time.Time
 
 	// Scalars, arrays, and function state
 	globals     []value
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ type Config struct {
 	NoFileWrites bool
 	NoFileReads  bool
 
-	Timeout time.Duration
+	RuntimeLimit time.Duration
 }
 
 // ExecProgram executes the parsed program using the given interpreter
@@ -234,7 +236,10 @@ func ExecProgram(program *Program, config *Config) (int, error) {
 	p.noExec = config.NoExec
 	p.noFileWrites = config.NoFileWrites
 	p.noFileReads = config.NoFileReads
-	p.timeout = config.Timeout
+	p.runtimeLimit = config.RuntimeLimit
+	if p.runtimeLimit > 0 {
+		p.startTime = time.Now()
+	}
 	err := p.initNativeFuncs(config.Funcs)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
@@ -277,26 +282,6 @@ func ExecProgram(program *Program, config *Config) (int, error) {
 	p.scanners = make(map[string]*bufio.Scanner)
 	defer p.closeAll()
 
-	// If timeout is set then run with timeout
-	if p.timeout.Nanoseconds() != 0 {
-		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), p.timeout)
-		defer cancel()
-		errChan := make(chan error)
-		go func() {
-			var execError error
-			p.exitStatus, execError = execProgram(p, program)
-			errChan <- execError
-		}()
-		select {
-		case err := <-errChan:
-			if err != nil {
-				return p.exitStatus, err
-			}
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return p.exitStatus, fmt.Errorf("Runtime exceeded timeout %v", p.timeout)
-		}
-	}
-
 	return execProgram(p, program)
 }
 func execProgram(p *interp, program *Program) (int, error) {
@@ -318,7 +303,7 @@ func execProgram(p *interp, program *Program) (int, error) {
 	if err != nil && err != errExit {
 		return 0, err
 	}
-	return 0, nil
+	return p.exitStatus, nil
 }
 
 // Exec provides a simple way to parse and execute an AWK program
@@ -439,6 +424,10 @@ func (p *interp) executes(stmts Stmts) error {
 
 // Execute a single statement
 func (p *interp) execute(stmt Stmt) error {
+	// Check runtime limit
+	if runtimeError := p.exceedsRuntimeLimit(); runtimeError != nil {
+		return runtimeError
+	}
 
 	switch s := stmt.(type) {
 	case *ExprStmt:
@@ -665,8 +654,23 @@ func (p *interp) execute(stmt Stmt) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// Check runtime limitations
+func (p *interp) exceedsRuntimeLimit() error {
+	if p.runtimeLimit > 0 {
+		if p.runtimeLimit < time.Since(p.startTime) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("Runtime exceeded limit of %v", p.runtimeLimit)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Evaluate a single expression, return expression value and error
 func (p *interp) eval(expr Expr) (value, error) {
+	// Check runtime limit
+	if runtimeError := p.exceedsRuntimeLimit(); runtimeError != nil {
+		return num(1), runtimeError
+	}
+
 	switch e := expr.(type) {
 	case *NumExpr:
 		// Number literal
diff --git a/interp/interp_test.go b/interp/interp_test.go
index bab3a8e2..28dd037c 100644
--- a/interp/interp_test.go
+++ b/interp/interp_test.go
@@ -1005,7 +1005,7 @@ func TestSafeMode(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
-func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+func TestRuntimeLimit(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		src  string
 		in   string
@@ -1013,21 +1013,34 @@ func TestTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 		err  string
 		args []string
 	}{
-		{`BEGIN { print "hi" }`, "", "hi\nhi\n", "", nil},
-		{`BEGIN { while(i<1){} }`, "", "", "Runtime exceeded timeout 5ms", nil},
+		{`BEGIN { print "hi" }`, "", "hi\n", "", nil},
+		{`BEGIN { while(i<1){} }`, "", "", "Runtime exceeded limit of 5ms", nil},
 		{`BEGIN { while(i<1){i++} }`, "", "", "", nil},
+		{`BEGIN { while(1){} }`, "", "", "Runtime exceeded limit of 5ms", nil},
 	}
 	for _, test := range tests {
 		testName := test.src
 		if len(testName) > 70 {
 			testName = testName[:70]
 		}
-		t.Run(testName, func(t *testing.T) {
-			testGoAWK(t, test.src, test.in, test.out, test.err, nil, func(config *interp.Config) {
-				config.Args = test.args
-				config.Timeout = 5 * time.Millisecond
+		timeout := 5 * time.Millisecond
+		testRun := make(chan bool, 0)
+		go func() {
+			t.Run(testName, func(t *testing.T) {
+				testGoAWK(t, test.src, test.in, test.out, test.err, nil, func(config *interp.Config) {
+					config.Args = test.args
+					config.RuntimeLimit = timeout
+				})
 			})
-		})
+			testRun <- true
+		}()
+
+		select {
+		case <-testRun:
+			break
+		case <-time.After(timeout):
+			t.Errorf("Failed to stop runtime in %v: %s", timeout, test.src)
+		}
 	}
 }