diff --git a/cmd/testExecutor.go b/cmd/testExecutor.go
index fa4de4f..c3e8948 100644
--- a/cmd/testExecutor.go
+++ b/cmd/testExecutor.go
@@ -73,13 +73,14 @@ func runTestAndWait(mc connectors.MicrocksClient, params testParams) (bool, stri
 	future := now + params.waitForMillis + 10000
 
 	var success = false
+	var inProgress = true
 	for nowInMilliseconds() < future {
 		testResultSummary, err := mc.GetTestResult(testResultID)
 		if err != nil {
 			return false, "", fmt.Errorf("checking test result: %w", err)
 		}
 		success = testResultSummary.Success
-		inProgress := testResultSummary.InProgress
+		inProgress = testResultSummary.InProgress
 		if _, err := fmt.Fprintf(progress, "MicrocksClient got status for test \"%s\" - success: %s, inProgress: %s \n", testResultID, fmt.Sprint(success), fmt.Sprint(inProgress)); err != nil {
 			return false, testResultID, errors.Wrap(errors.KindEnvironment, err)
 		}
@@ -94,6 +95,13 @@ func runTestAndWait(mc connectors.MicrocksClient, params testParams) (bool, stri
 		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
 	}
 
+	// If the polling deadline expired while the test was still running, return a KindConnection error
+	if inProgress {
+		return false, testResultID, errors.Wrapf(errors.KindConnection,
+			"test polling timed out after %dms waiting for result %s",
+			params.waitForMillis+10000, testResultID)
+	}
+
 	if !params.suppressOutput {
 		if err := renderTestResult(mc, testResultID, params.outputFormat, params.artifactPath); err != nil {
 			return false, testResultID, err
diff --git a/cmd/testExecutor_test.go b/cmd/testExecutor_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7071f72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/testExecutor_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright The Microcks Authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/microcks/microcks-cli/pkg/connectors"
+	"github.com/microcks/microcks-cli/pkg/errors"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+)
+
+type mockMicrocksClientPollingTimeout struct {
+	connectors.MicrocksClient
+}
+
+func (m *mockMicrocksClientPollingTimeout) CreateTestResult(serviceID, testEndpoint, runnerType, secretName string, timeout int64, filteredOperations, operationsHeaders, oAuth2Context string) (string, error) {
+	return "test-result-timeout-id", nil
+}
+
+func (m *mockMicrocksClientPollingTimeout) GetTestResult(testResultID string) (*connectors.TestResultSummary, error) {
+	return &connectors.TestResultSummary{
+		ID:         testResultID,
+		Success:    false,
+		InProgress: true,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func TestRunTestAndWait_TimeoutReturnsKindConnection(t *testing.T) {
+	client := &mockMicrocksClientPollingTimeout{}
+	params := testParams{
+		waitForMillis:  -10000, // deadline <= now so the polling loop deadline has already expired
+		suppressOutput: true,
+	}
+
+	success, id, err := runTestAndWait(client, params)
+
+	assert.False(t, success)
+	assert.Equal(t, "test-result-timeout-id", id)
+	require.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, errors.KindConnection, errors.KindOf(err))
+	assert.Equal(t, 11, ExitCodeFor(err))
+	assert.Contains(t, err.Error(), "test polling timed out after 0ms waiting for result test-result-timeout-id")
+}