diff --git a/headers/private/net/net_stack.h b/headers/private/net/net_stack.h
index 0c17f9f507..b7ada2f0f9 100644
--- a/headers/private/net/net_stack.h
+++ b/headers/private/net/net_stack.h
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ struct net_stack_module_info {
 	void (*init_timer)(struct net_timer *timer, net_timer_func hook, void *data);
 	void (*set_timer)(struct net_timer *timer, bigtime_t delay);
 	bool (*cancel_timer)(struct net_timer *timer);
-	void (*wait_for_timer)(struct net_timer *timer);
+	status_t (*wait_for_timer)(struct net_timer *timer);
 	bool (*is_timer_active)(struct net_timer *timer);
 
 	// syscall restart
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.cpp b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.cpp
index 81232b50e7..0f4dc0e4da 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.cpp
@@ -537,14 +537,19 @@ cancel_timer(struct net_timer* timer)
 }
 
 
-void
+status_t
 wait_for_timer(struct net_timer* timer)
 {
+	if (find_thread(NULL) == sTimerThread) {
+		// let's not wait for ourselves...
+		return B_BAD_VALUE;
+	}
+
 	while (true) {
 		MutexLocker locker(sTimerLock);
 
 		if (timer->due <= 0 && sCurrentTimer != timer)
-			return;
+			return B_OK;
 
 		// we actually need to wait for this timer
 		ConditionVariableEntry entry;
@@ -554,6 +559,8 @@ wait_for_timer(struct net_timer* timer)
 
 		entry.Wait();
 	}
+
+	return B_OK;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.h
index e98c1cf0ed..3a12035537 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/network/stack/utility.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ status_t	fifo_socket_enqueue_buffer(net_fifo* fifo, net_socket* socket,
 void		init_timer(net_timer* timer, net_timer_func hook, void* data);
 void		set_timer(net_timer* timer, bigtime_t delay);
 bool		cancel_timer(struct net_timer* timer);
-void		wait_for_timer(struct net_timer* timer);
+status_t	wait_for_timer(struct net_timer* timer);
 bool		is_timer_active(net_timer* timer);
 status_t	init_timers(void);
 void		uninit_timers(void);