diff --git a/src/channels.c b/src/channels.c
index fdd60655..c2dcc42e 100644
--- a/src/channels.c
+++ b/src/channels.c
@@ -312,7 +312,11 @@ static int channel_open(ssh_channel channel, const char *type_c, int window,
       type_c, channel->local_channel);
 pending:
   /* wait until channel is opened by server */
-  err = ssh_handle_packets_termination(session, SSH_TIMEOUT_USER, ssh_channel_open_termination, channel);
+  err = ssh_handle_packets_termination(session,
+                                       SSH_TIMEOUT_DEFAULT,
+                                       ssh_channel_open_termination,
+                                       channel);
+
   if (session->session_state == SSH_SESSION_STATE_ERROR)
     err = SSH_ERROR;
 end: