diff --git a/pbs-tape/src/sg_tape.rs b/pbs-tape/src/sg_tape.rs
index b28a5f274..16ef31f96 100644
--- a/pbs-tape/src/sg_tape.rs
+++ b/pbs-tape/src/sg_tape.rs
@@ -571,9 +571,10 @@ impl SgTape {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn wait_until_ready(&mut self) -> Result<(), Error> {
+    pub fn wait_until_ready(&mut self, timeout: Option<u64>) -> Result<(), Error> {
         let start = SystemTime::now();
-        let max_wait = std::time::Duration::new(Self::SCSI_TAPE_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT as u64, 0);
+        let timeout = timeout.unwrap_or(Self::SCSI_TAPE_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT as u64);
+        let max_wait = std::time::Duration::new(timeout, 0);
 
         loop {
             match self.test_unit_ready() {
diff --git a/src/tape/drive/lto/mod.rs b/src/tape/drive/lto/mod.rs
index 2c3a5a635..97dd540fb 100644
--- a/src/tape/drive/lto/mod.rs
+++ b/src/tape/drive/lto/mod.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ pub fn open_lto_tape_drive(config: &LtoTapeDrive) -> Result<LtoTapeHandle, Error
             }
         }
 
-        handle.sg_tape.wait_until_ready()?;
+        handle.sg_tape.wait_until_ready(None)?;
 
         handle.set_default_options()?;