diff --git a/units/systemd-nspawn@.service.in b/units/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
index c1426e673bd..d540a071a48 100644
--- a/units/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
+++ b/units/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ Delegate=yes
 DelegateSubgroup=supervisor
 CoredumpReceive=yes
 TasksMax=16384
+TimeoutSec=2min
 {{SERVICE_WATCHDOG}}
 
 {# Enforce a strict device policy, similar to the one nspawn configures (in
diff --git a/units/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in b/units/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
index 454a03e98b2..6ae0088048f 100644
--- a/units/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
+++ b/units/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ ExecStart=systemd-vmspawn --quiet --register=yes --keep-unit --network-tap --mac
 KillMode=mixed
 Type=notify
 Slice=machine.slice
+TimeoutSec=2min
 {{SERVICE_WATCHDOG}}
 
 {# Enforce a strict device policy. Make sure to keep these policies in sync if you change them! #}
diff --git a/units/user/systemd-nspawn@.service.in b/units/user/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
index 90fdc0cb486..4f5cf412dfc 100644
--- a/units/user/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
+++ b/units/user/systemd-nspawn@.service.in
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ Delegate=yes
 DelegateSubgroup=supervisor
 CoredumpReceive=yes
 TasksMax=16384
+TimeoutSec=2min
 {{SERVICE_WATCHDOG}}
 
 [Install]
diff --git a/units/user/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in b/units/user/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
index aeea839f8c4..bfb321f2bfe 100644
--- a/units/user/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
+++ b/units/user/systemd-vmspawn@.service.in
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ ExecStart=systemd-vmspawn --quiet --keep-unit --register=yes --network-tap --mac
 KillMode=mixed
 Type=notify
 Slice=machine.slice
+TimeoutSec=2min
 {{SERVICE_WATCHDOG}}
 
 [Install]