diff --git a/setupext.py b/setupext.py
index 06ad614cb4d0..8c01bbe32ab1 100755
--- a/setupext.py
+++ b/setupext.py
@@ -1717,7 +1717,8 @@ def check_requirements(self):
         except:
             return "unknown (can not use multiprocessing to determine)"
         try:
-            success, msg = p.map(backend_gtk3agg_internal_check, [0])[0]
+             res = p.map_async(backend_gtk3agg_internal_check, [0])
+             success, msg = res.get(timeout=5)[0]
         except:
             success = False
             msg = "Could not determine"
@@ -1781,9 +1782,15 @@ def check_requirements(self):
             p = multiprocessing.Pool()
         except:
             return "unknown (can not use multiprocessing to determine)"
-        success, msg = p.map(backend_gtk3cairo_internal_check, [0])[0]
-        p.close()
-        p.join()
+        try:
+            res = p.map_async(backend_gtk3cairo_internal_check, [0])
+            success, msg = res.get(timeout=5)[0]
+        except:
+            success = False
+            raise
+        finally:
+            p.close()
+            p.join()
         if success:
             BackendAgg.force = True
 
@@ -1916,7 +1923,8 @@ def check_requirements(self):
         else:
             # Multiprocessing OK
             try:
-                msg = p.map(self.callback, [self])[0]
+                res = p.map_async(self.callback, [self])
+                msg = res.get(timeout=5)[0]
             except:
                 # If we hit an error on multiprocessing raise it
                 raise