diff --git a/adb_install.cpp b/adb_install.cpp
index a226ea5..fb7860c 100644
--- a/adb_install.cpp
+++ b/adb_install.cpp
@@ -69,6 +69,10 @@
     }
 }
 
+// How long (in seconds) we wait for the host to start sending us a
+// package, before timing out.
+#define ADB_INSTALL_TIMEOUT 300
+
 int
 apply_from_adb(RecoveryUI* ui_, int* wipe_cache, const char* install_file) {
     ui = ui_;
@@ -84,27 +88,58 @@
         execl("/sbin/recovery", "recovery", "--adbd", NULL);
         _exit(-1);
     }
+
+    // ADB_SIDELOAD_HOST_PATHNAME will start to exist once the host
+    // connects and starts serving a package.  Poll for its
+    // appearance.  (Note that inotify doesn't work with FUSE.)
+    int result;
     int status;
-    // TODO(dougz): there should be a way to cancel waiting for a
-    // package (by pushing some button combo on the device).  For now
-    // you just have to 'adb sideload' a file that's not a valid
-    // package, like "/dev/null".
-    waitpid(child, &status, 0);
+    bool waited = false;
+    struct stat st;
+    for (int i = 0; i < ADB_INSTALL_TIMEOUT; ++i) {
+        if (waitpid(child, &status, WNOHANG) != 0) {
+            result = INSTALL_ERROR;
+            waited = true;
+            break;
+        }
+
+        if (stat(ADB_SIDELOAD_HOST_PATHNAME, &st) != 0) {
+            if (errno == ENOENT && i < ADB_INSTALL_TIMEOUT-1) {
+                sleep(1);
+                continue;
+            } else {
+                ui->Print("\nTimed out waiting for package.\n\n", strerror(errno));
+                result = INSTALL_ERROR;
+                kill(child, SIGKILL);
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        result = install_package(ADB_SIDELOAD_HOST_PATHNAME, wipe_cache, install_file, false);
+        break;
+    }
+
+    if (!waited) {
+        // Calling stat() on this magic filename signals the minadbd
+        // subprocess to shut down.
+        stat(ADB_SIDELOAD_HOST_EXIT_PATHNAME, &st);
+
+        // TODO(dougz): there should be a way to cancel waiting for a
+        // package (by pushing some button combo on the device).  For now
+        // you just have to 'adb sideload' a file that's not a valid
+        // package, like "/dev/null".
+        waitpid(child, &status, 0);
+    }
+
     if (!WIFEXITED(status) || WEXITSTATUS(status) != 0) {
-        ui->Print("status %d\n", WEXITSTATUS(status));
+        if (WEXITSTATUS(status) == 3) {
+            ui->Print("\nYou need adb 1.0.32 or newer to sideload\nto this device.\n\n");
+        } else if (!WIFSIGNALED(status)) {
+            ui->Print("\n(adbd status %d)\n", WEXITSTATUS(status));
+        }
     }
 
     set_usb_driver(false);
     maybe_restart_adbd();
 
-    struct stat st;
-    if (stat(ADB_SIDELOAD_FILENAME, &st) != 0) {
-        if (errno == ENOENT) {
-            ui->Print("No package received.\n");
-        } else {
-            ui->Print("Error reading package:\n  %s\n", strerror(errno));
-        }
-        return INSTALL_ERROR;
-    }
-    return install_package(ADB_SIDELOAD_FILENAME, wipe_cache, install_file);
+    return result;
 }