diff --git a/lib/root.js b/lib/root.js
index 2e16a811e..ba78faf23 100644
--- a/lib/root.js
+++ b/lib/root.js
@@ -64,20 +64,25 @@ onExit(function (code, signal) {
     h !== process.stderr
   })
   var requests = process._getActiveRequests()
-  var msg = 'received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity'
 
   // Ignore this because it's really hard to test cover in a way
   // that isn't inconsistent and unpredictable.
   /* istanbul ignore next */
-  tap.fail(msg, {
-    requests: requests.map(function (r) {
+  var extra = {
+    at: null,
+    signal: signal
+  }
+  if (requests.length) {
+    extra.requests = requests.map(function (r) {
       var ret = { type: r.constructor.name }
       if (r.context) {
         ret.context = r.context
       }
       return ret
-    }),
-    handles: handles.map(function (h) {
+    })
+  }
+  if (handles.length) {
+    extra.handles = handles.map(function (h) {
       var ret = { type: h.constructor.name }
       if (h.msecs) {
         ret.msecs = h.msecs
@@ -92,9 +97,8 @@ onExit(function (code, signal) {
         ret.connectionKey = h._connectionKey
       }
       return ret
-    }),
-    at: null
-  })
+    })
+  }
 
-  tap.end()
+  tap._onTimeout(extra)
 })
diff --git a/lib/test.js b/lib/test.js
index 289b4bdd1..94eef8264 100644
--- a/lib/test.js
+++ b/lib/test.js
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ Test.prototype.setTimeout = function (n) {
   }, n)
 }
 
-Test.prototype._onTimeout = function () {
+Test.prototype._onTimeout = function (extra) {
+  // anything that was pending will have to wait.
   var s = this
   while (s._currentChild && (s._currentChild instanceof Test)) {
     s._queue = []
@@ -158,12 +159,15 @@ Test.prototype._onTimeout = function () {
     s = s._currentChild
   }
 
-  // anything that was pending will have to wait.
-  s.fail('timeout!', {
-    expired: this._name,
-    timeout: this._timeout,
-    at: this._calledAt
-  })
+  extra = extra || {}
+  if (this._parent) {
+    extra.expired = this._name
+  }
+  if (this._timeout) {
+    extra.timeout = this._timeout
+  }
+  extra.at = this._calledAt
+  s.fail('timeout!', extra)
   s.end(IMPLICIT)
 
   this.endAll()
diff --git a/test/runner.js b/test/runner.js
index a43a25502..83ddc8f78 100644
--- a/test/runner.js
+++ b/test/runner.js
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ t.test('-t or --timeout to set timeout', function (t) {
         t.equal(signal, null)
         t.match(
           out,
-          /received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity/,
+          /signal: SIGTERM/,
           { skip: skip }
         )
         t.end()
diff --git a/test/test/pending-handles-bail.tap b/test/test/pending-handles-bail.tap
index 540652c61..bbe12948f 100644
--- a/test/test/pending-handles-bail.tap
+++ b/test/test/pending-handles-bail.tap
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 TAP version 13
     # Subtest: ___/.*/~~~pending-handles.js child
     ok 1 - this is ok
-    not ok 2 - received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity
+    not ok 2 - timeout!
       ---
-      {"handles":[{"msecs":100000,"type":"Timer"}],"requests":[]}
+      {"handles":[{"msecs":100000,"type":"Timer"}],"signal":"SIGTERM"}
       ...
-    Bail out! # received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity
-Bail out! # received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity
+    Bail out! # timeout!
+Bail out! # timeout!
 
diff --git a/test/test/pending-handles.tap b/test/test/pending-handles.tap
index 190d29142..cb101127f 100644
--- a/test/test/pending-handles.tap
+++ b/test/test/pending-handles.tap
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 TAP version 13
     # Subtest: ___/.*/~~~pending-handles.js child
     ok 1 - this is ok
-    not ok 2 - received SIGTERM with pending event queue activity
+    not ok 2 - timeout!
       ---
-      {"handles":[{"msecs":100000,"type":"Timer"}],"requests":[]}
+      {"handles":[{"msecs":100000,"type":"Timer"}],"signal":"SIGTERM"}
       ...
     1..2
     # failed 1 of 2 tests
diff --git a/test/test/timeout-via-runner-bail.tap b/test/test/timeout-via-runner-bail.tap
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b2c7102cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test/timeout-via-runner-bail.tap
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+TAP version 13
+    # Subtest: child
+        # Subtest: child test
+        1..2
+        ok 1 - this is fine
+        not ok 2 - timeout!
+          ---
+          {"handles":[{"msecs":20000,"type":"Timer"}],"signal":"SIGTERM"}
+          ...
+        Bail out! # timeout!
+Bail out! # timeout!
+
diff --git a/test/test/timeout-via-runner.js b/test/test/timeout-via-runner.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f46a3c192
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test/timeout-via-runner.js
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+var t = require('../..')
+
+if (process.argv[2] === 'child') {
+  t.test('child test', function (t) {
+    t.plan(2)
+    t.pass('this is fine')
+    setTimeout(function (res) {
+      t.pass('request complete')
+    }, 20000)
+  })
+} else {
+  t.spawn(process.execPath, [__filename, 'child'], {}, 'child', { timeout: 1000 })
+}
diff --git a/test/test/timeout-via-runner.tap b/test/test/timeout-via-runner.tap
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..074c8c883
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/test/timeout-via-runner.tap
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+TAP version 13
+    # Subtest: child
+        # Subtest: child test
+        1..2
+        ok 1 - this is fine
+        not ok 2 - timeout!
+          ---
+          {"handles":[{"msecs":20000,"type":"Timer"}],"signal":"SIGTERM"}
+          ...
+        # failed 1 of 2 tests
+    not ok 1 - child test ___/# time=[0-9.]+(ms)?/~~~
+      ---
+      {"at":{"column":5,"file":"test/test/timeout-via-runner.js","line":4},"results":{"count":2,"fail":1,"ok":false,"pass":1,"plan":{"end":2,"start":1}},"source":"t.test('child test', function (t) {\n"}
+      ...
+
+    1..1
+    # failed 1 of 1 tests
+    ___/# time=[0-9.]+(ms)?/~~~
+not ok 1 - child ___/# time=[0-9.]+(ms)?/~~~
+  ---
+  {"arguments":["___/.*/~~~timeout-via-runner.js","child"],"at":{"column":5,"file":"test/test/timeout-via-runner.js","line":12},"command":"___/.*(node|iojs)(.exe)?/~~~","failure":"timeout","results":{"count":1,"fail":1,"ok":false,"pass":0,"plan":{"end":1,"start":1}},"signal":"SIGTERM","source":"t.spawn(process.execPath, [__filename, 'child'], {}, 'child', { timeout: 1000 })\n","timeout":1000}
+  ...
+
+1..1
+# failed 1 of 1 tests
+___/# time=[0-9.]+(ms)?/~~~
+
diff --git a/test/timeout.js b/test/timeout.js
index d8d589e62..84a8012d3 100644
--- a/test/timeout.js
+++ b/test/timeout.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ tap.test('t.setTimeout()', function (t) {
     tt.setTimeout('not a number')
   }, {}, { message: 'setTimeout: number > 0 required' })
 
-  var tt = new Test({ timeout: 1000 })
+  var tt = new Test({ timeout: 1000, bail: false })
   tt.setTimeout(2000)
   tt.setTimeout(Infinity)
   t.notOk(tt._timeout)
@@ -51,15 +51,14 @@ tap.test('t.setTimeout()', function (t) {
     '    ok 1 - this is fine\n' +
     '    not ok 2 - timeout!\n' +
     '      ---\n' +
-    '(      expired: some name\n|' +
-    '      timeout: 1\n){2}' +
+    '      timeout: 1\n' +
     '      \\.\\.\\.\n' +
     '    1..2\n' +
     '    # failed 1 of 2 tests\n' +
     'not ok 1 - child test # time=')
 
-  tt = new Test({ name: 'some name' })
-  tt.test('child test', function (tt) {
+  tt = new Test({ name: 'some name', bail: false })
+  tt.test('child test', { bail: false }, function (tt) {
     tt.pass('this is fine')
   })
   tt.setTimeout(1)