diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_cli_build_test.go b/integration-cli/docker_cli_build_test.go
index 5102781a8c..95424b69cc 100644
--- a/integration-cli/docker_cli_build_test.go
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_cli_build_test.go
@@ -106,27 +106,9 @@ func TestBuildAddSingleFileToWorkdir(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	f.Close()
-	buildCmd := exec.Command(dockerBinary, "build", "-t", "testaddimg", ".")
-	buildCmd.Dir = buildDirectory
-	done := make(chan error)
-	go func() {
-		out, exitCode, err := runCommandWithOutput(buildCmd)
-		if err != nil || exitCode != 0 {
-			done <- fmt.Errorf("build failed to complete: %s %v", out, err)
-			return
-		}
-		done <- nil
-	}()
-	select {
-	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-		if err := buildCmd.Process.Kill(); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("could not kill build (pid=%d): %v\n", buildCmd.Process.Pid, err)
-		}
-		t.Fatal("build timed out")
-	case err := <-done:
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
+	_, exitCode, err := dockerCmdInDirWithTimeout(5*time.Second, buildDirectory, "build", "-t", "testaddimg", ".")
+	if err != nil || exitCode != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("build failed: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	deleteImages("testaddimg")
@@ -343,27 +325,9 @@ func TestBuildCopySingleFileToWorkdir(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 	f.Close()
-	buildCmd := exec.Command(dockerBinary, "build", "-t", "testcopyimg", ".")
-	buildCmd.Dir = buildDirectory
-	done := make(chan error)
-	go func() {
-		out, exitCode, err := runCommandWithOutput(buildCmd)
-		if err != nil || exitCode != 0 {
-			done <- fmt.Errorf("build failed to complete: %s %v", out, err)
-			return
-		}
-		done <- nil
-	}()
-	select {
-	case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-		if err := buildCmd.Process.Kill(); err != nil {
-			fmt.Printf("could not kill build (pid=%d): %v\n", buildCmd.Process.Pid, err)
-		}
-		t.Fatal("build timed out")
-	case err := <-done:
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatal(err)
-		}
+	_, exitCode, err := dockerCmdInDirWithTimeout(5*time.Second, buildDirectory, "build", "-t", "testcopyimg", ".")
+	if err != nil || exitCode != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("build failed: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	deleteImages("testcopyimg")
diff --git a/integration-cli/docker_utils.go b/integration-cli/docker_utils.go
index e2bdc5d08d..91418ea0a4 100644
--- a/integration-cli/docker_utils.go
+++ b/integration-cli/docker_utils.go
@@ -345,12 +345,34 @@ func dockerCmd(t *testing.T, args ...string) (string, int, error) {
 	return out, status, err
 }
 
+// execute a docker ocmmand with a timeout
+func dockerCmdWithTimeout(timeout time.Duration, args ...string) (string, int, error) {
+	out, status, err := runCommandWithOutputAndTimeout(exec.Command(dockerBinary, args...), timeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return out, status, fmt.Errorf("'%s' failed with errors: %v : %q)", strings.Join(args, " "), err, out)
+	}
+	return out, status, err
+}
+
 // execute a docker command in a directory
 func dockerCmdInDir(t *testing.T, path string, args ...string) (string, int, error) {
 	dockerCommand := exec.Command(dockerBinary, args...)
 	dockerCommand.Dir = path
 	out, status, err := runCommandWithOutput(dockerCommand)
-	errorOut(err, t, fmt.Sprintf("'%s' failed with errors: %v (%v)", strings.Join(args, " "), err, out))
+	if err != nil {
+		return out, status, fmt.Errorf("'%s' failed with errors: %v : %q)", strings.Join(args, " "), err, out)
+	}
+	return out, status, err
+}
+
+// execute a docker command in a directory with a timeout
+func dockerCmdInDirWithTimeout(timeout time.Duration, path string, args ...string) (string, int, error) {
+	dockerCommand := exec.Command(dockerBinary, args...)
+	dockerCommand.Dir = path
+	out, status, err := runCommandWithOutputAndTimeout(dockerCommand, timeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return out, status, fmt.Errorf("'%s' failed with errors: %v : %q)", strings.Join(args, " "), err, out)
+	}
 	return out, status, err
 }
 
diff --git a/integration-cli/utils.go b/integration-cli/utils.go
index c828e94fef..ae4cd61a39 100644
--- a/integration-cli/utils.go
+++ b/integration-cli/utils.go
@@ -63,6 +63,31 @@ func runCommandWithStdoutStderr(cmd *exec.Cmd) (stdout string, stderr string, ex
 	return
 }
 
+var ErrCmdTimeout = fmt.Errorf("command timed out")
+
+func runCommandWithOutputAndTimeout(cmd *exec.Cmd, timeout time.Duration) (output string, exitCode int, err error) {
+	done := make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		output, exitCode, err = runCommandWithOutput(cmd)
+		if err != nil || exitCode != 0 {
+			done <- fmt.Errorf("failed to run command: %s", err)
+			return
+		}
+		done <- nil
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		killFailed := cmd.Process.Kill()
+		if killFailed == nil {
+			fmt.Printf("failed to kill (pid=%d): %v\n", cmd.Process.Pid, err)
+		}
+		err = ErrCmdTimeout
+	case <-done:
+		break
+	}
+	return
+}
+
 func runCommand(cmd *exec.Cmd) (exitCode int, err error) {
 	exitCode = 0
 	err = cmd.Run()