diff --git a/libs/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp b/libs/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
index e468b237f5b82..eb0983ab58f48 100644
--- a/libs/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
+++ b/libs/surfaceflinger/SurfaceFlinger.cpp
@@ -1125,7 +1125,14 @@ void SurfaceFlinger::closeGlobalTransaction()
         // take effect before returning.
         Mutex::Autolock _l(mStateLock);
         while (mResizeTransationPending) {
-            mTransactionCV.wait(mStateLock);
+            status_t err = mTransactionCV.waitRelative(mStateLock, s2ns(5));
+            if (CC_UNLIKELY(err != NO_ERROR)) {
+                // just in case something goes wrong in SF, return to the
+                // called after a few seconds.
+                LOGW_IF(err == TIMED_OUT, "closeGlobalTransaction timed out!");
+                mResizeTransationPending = false;
+                break;
+            }
         }
     }
 }