diff --git a/setupext.py b/setupext.py
index 5479573b276d..32444984adee 100755
--- a/setupext.py
+++ b/setupext.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 import warnings
 from textwrap import fill
 
-
 PY3 = (sys.version_info[0] >= 3)
 
 
@@ -1788,16 +1787,26 @@ 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=10)[0]
+        except multiprocessing.TimeoutError:
+            p.terminate()
+            # No result returned. Probaly hanging, terminate the process.
+            success = False
+            raise CheckFailed("Check timed out")
         except:
+            p.close()
+            # Some other error.
             success = False
             msg = "Could not determine"
-        finally:
+            raise
+        else:
             p.close()
+        finally:
             p.join()
+
         if success:
             BackendAgg.force = True
-
             return msg
         else:
             raise CheckFailed(msg)
@@ -1852,12 +1861,25 @@ 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=10)[0]
+        except multiprocessing.TimeoutError:
+            p.terminate()
+            # No result returned. Probaly hanging, terminate the process.
+            success = False
+            raise CheckFailed("Check timed out")
+        except:
+            p.close()
+            success = False
+            raise
+        else:
+            p.close()
+        finally:
+            p.join()
+
         if success:
             BackendAgg.force = True
-
             return msg
         else:
             raise CheckFailed(msg)
@@ -1988,13 +2010,21 @@ 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=10)[0]
+            except multiprocessing.TimeoutError:
+                p.terminate()
+                # No result returned. Probaly hanging, terminate the process.
+                raise CheckFailed("Check timed out")
             except:
-                # If we hit an error on multiprocessing raise it
+                # Some other error.
+                p.close()
                 raise
+            else:
+                # Clean exit
+                p.close()
             finally:
                 # Tidy up multiprocessing
-                p.close()
                 p.join()
 
         return msg