diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcnoded.sample.yaml b/node-daemon/pvcnoded.sample.yaml
index c9dd3717..e1475927 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcnoded.sample.yaml
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcnoded.sample.yaml
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ pvc:
   system:
     # intervals: Intervals for keepalives and fencing
     intervals:
+      # vm_shutdown_timeout: Number of seconds for a VM to 'shutdown' before being forced off
+      vm_shutdown_timeout: 180
       # keepalive_interval: Number of seconds between keepalive/status updates
       keepalive_interval: 5
       # fence_intervals: Number of keepalive_intervals to declare a node dead and fence it
diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcnoded/Daemon.py b/node-daemon/pvcnoded/Daemon.py
index 7e269cdd..e4415090 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcnoded/Daemon.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcnoded/Daemon.py
@@ -155,6 +155,7 @@ def readConfig(pvcnoded_config_file, myhostname):
             'log_keepalive_cluster_details': o_config['pvc']['system']['configuration']['logging']['log_keepalive_cluster_details'],
             'log_keepalive_storage_details': o_config['pvc']['system']['configuration']['logging']['log_keepalive_storage_details'],
             'console_log_lines': o_config['pvc']['system']['configuration']['logging']['console_log_lines'],
+            'vm_shutdown_timeout': int(o_config['pvc']['system'['intervals']['vm_shutdown_timeout']),
             'keepalive_interval': int(o_config['pvc']['system']['intervals']['keepalive_interval']),
             'fence_intervals': int(o_config['pvc']['system']['intervals']['fence_intervals']),
             'suicide_intervals': int(o_config['pvc']['system']['intervals']['suicide_intervals']),
diff --git a/node-daemon/pvcnoded/VMInstance.py b/node-daemon/pvcnoded/VMInstance.py
index 81d4584b..a6e32b16 100644
--- a/node-daemon/pvcnoded/VMInstance.py
+++ b/node-daemon/pvcnoded/VMInstance.py
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@ class VMInstance(object):
         self.dom.shutdown()
         tick = 0
         while True:
-            tick += 2
-            time.sleep(2)
+            tick += 1
+            time.sleep(1)
 
             # Abort shutdown if the state changes to start
             current_state = zkhandler.readdata(self.zk_conn, '/domains/{}/state'.format(self.domuuid))
@@ -325,9 +325,8 @@ class VMInstance(object):
                 self.console_log_instance.stop()
                 break
 
-            # HARDCODE: 90s is a reasonable amount of time for any operating system to shut down cleanly
-            if tick >= 90:
-                self.logger.out('Shutdown timeout expired', state='e', prefix='Domain {}:'.format(self.domuuid))
+            if tick >= self.config['vm_shutdown_timeout']:
+                self.logger.out('Shutdown timeout ({}s) expired, forcing off'.format(self.config['vm_shutdown_timeout']), state='e', prefix='Domain {}:'.format(self.domuuid))
                 zkhandler.writedata(self.zk_conn, { '/domains/{}/state'.format(self.domuuid): 'stop' })
                 break