diff --git a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
index 803bafef75..1ce56f1210 100644
--- a/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
+++ b/orte/mca/plm/base/plm_base_launch_support.c
@@ -306,12 +306,15 @@ void orte_plm_base_complete_setup(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
 static void timer_cb(int fd, short event, void *cbdata)
 {
     orte_timer_t *tm = (orte_timer_t*)cbdata;
+    orte_job_t *jdata = (orte_job_t*)tm->payload;
+
+    if (NULL == jdata || jdata->state < ORTE_JOB_STATE_RUNNING) {
+        /* declare launch failed */
+        ORTE_ACTIVATE_JOB_STATE(jdata, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
+    }
 
     /* free event */
     OBJ_RELEASE(tm);
-
-    /* declare launch failed */
-    ORTE_ACTIVATE_JOB_STATE(NULL, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FAILED_TO_START);
 }
 
 void orte_plm_base_launch_apps(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
@@ -373,7 +376,7 @@ void orte_plm_base_launch_apps(int fd, short args, void *cbdata)
      * defined time, then we know things have failed
      */
     if (0 < orte_startup_timeout) {
-        ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(orte_startup_timeout, 1000, 10000000, timer_cb, NULL);
+        ORTE_DETECT_TIMEOUT(orte_startup_timeout, 1000, 10000000, timer_cb, jdata);
     }
 
     /* cleanup */
diff --git a/orte/mca/state/state.h b/orte/mca/state/state.h
index cbc2d357f5..2e1ba2f140 100644
--- a/orte/mca/state/state.h
+++ b/orte/mca/state/state.h
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ ORTE_DECLSPEC extern int orte_state_base_output;
 #define ORTE_TERMINATE(x)                                               \
     do {                                                                \
         ORTE_UPDATE_EXIT_STATUS(x);                                     \
-        orte_state.activate_job_state(NULL,                             \
-                                      ORTE_JOB_STATE_FORCED_EXIT);      \
+        ORTE_ACTIVATE_JOB_STATE(NULL, ORTE_JOB_STATE_FORCED_EXIT);      \
     } while(0);
 
 #define ORTE_ACTIVATE_JOB_STATE(j, s)                                   \