diff --git a/lib/devices/android/android-common.js b/lib/devices/android/android-common.js
index 42104d99a24..a12a8179cea 100644
--- a/lib/devices/android/android-common.js
+++ b/lib/devices/android/android-common.js
@@ -211,21 +211,27 @@ androidCommon.unlockScreen = function(cb) {
   this.adb.isScreenLocked(function(err, isLocked) {
     if (err) return cb(err);
     if (isLocked) {
-      this.adb.startApp("io.appium.unlock", ".Unlock", function(err) {
-        if (err) return cb(err);
-        var intervalRepeat = 500;
-        var interval = function() {
+      var timeoutMs = 10000;
+      var start = Date.now();
+      var unlockAndCheck = function() {
+        logger.debug("Screen is locked, trying to unlock");
+        this.adb.startApp("io.appium.unlock", ".Unlock", function(err) {
+          if (err) return cb(err);
           this.adb.isScreenLocked(function(err, isLocked) {
             if (err) return cb(err);
-            if (isLocked) {
-              setTimeout(interval, intervalRepeat);
-            } else {
-              cb();
+            if (!isLocked) {
+              logger.debug("Screen is unlocked, continuing");
+              return cb();
             }
-          });
-        }.bind(this);
-        setTimeout(interval, intervalRepeat);
-      }.bind(this));
+            if ((Date.now() - timeoutMs) > start) {
+              return cb(new Error("Screen did not unlock"));
+            } else  {
+              setTimeout(unlockAndCheck, 1000);
+            }
+          }.bind(this));
+        }.bind(this));
+      }.bind(this);
+      unlockAndCheck();
     } else {
       logger.debug('Screen already unlocked, continuing.');
       cb();