diff -Nur kbd-1.12-4/src/kbdrate.c kbd-1.12-5/src/kbdrate.c
--- kbd-1.12-4/src/kbdrate.c	2004-02-26 22:46:55.000000000 +0100
+++ kbd-1.12-5/src/kbdrate.c	2004-02-26 22:50:19.000000000 +0100
@@ -90,6 +90,8 @@
 };
 #endif
 
+#include <signal.h>
+
 #include "nls.h"
 #include "version.h"
 
@@ -185,6 +187,12 @@
 #endif /* KIOCSRATE */
 }
 
+void 
+sigalrmhandler( int sig ) {
+	fprintf( stderr, "kbdrate: Failed waiting for kbd controller!\n" );
+	raise( SIGINT );
+}
+
 int
 main( int argc, char **argv ) {
 #ifdef __sparc__
@@ -260,6 +268,9 @@
 		exit( 1 );
 	}
 
+	signal( SIGALRM, sigalrmhandler );
+	alarm( 3 );
+	
 	do {
 		lseek( fd, 0x64, 0 );
 		read( fd, &data, 1 );
@@ -274,6 +285,8 @@
 		read( fd, &data, 1 );
 	} while ((data & 2) == 2 );  /* wait */
 
+	alarm( 0 );
+
 	lseek( fd, 0x60, 0 );
 	sleep( 1 );
 	write( fd, &value, 1 );