diff --git a/src/script/hydra-build b/src/script/hydra-build
index 557090cc..b7d52422 100755
--- a/src/script/hydra-build
+++ b/src/script/hydra-build
@@ -142,6 +142,22 @@ sub doBuild {
                 next;
             }
 
+            # Hack to handle timeouts, which Nix doesn't report
+            # properly when they occur remotely.  If we get a "hook
+            # failed" error and $maxsilent seconds have passed since
+            # the start of the build step, then assume that a timeout
+            # occured.
+            if (/^@\s+hook-failed\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(.*)$/ && $3 eq "256") {
+                my $drvPathStep = $1;
+                if ($buildSteps{$drvPathStep}) {
+                    my $step = $build->buildsteps->find({stepnr => $buildSteps{$drvPathStep}}) or die;
+                    print STDERR $step->starttime, " ", time(), "\n";
+                    if ($step->starttime + $maxsilent <= time) {
+                        $_ = "@ build-failed $1 $2 timeout $4";
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+
             if (/^@\s+build-started\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)\s+(\S+)$/) {
                 my $drvPathStep = $1;
                 txn_do($db, sub {