diff --git a/lib/anacondatest.pm b/lib/anacondatest.pm
index 3a2c2dc1..feb46331 100644
--- a/lib/anacondatest.pm
+++ b/lib/anacondatest.pm
@@ -61,6 +61,9 @@ sub root_console {
     # Switch to an appropriate TTY and log in as root.
     my $self = shift;
     my %args = (
+        # 0 means use console_login's default, non-zero values
+        # passed to console_login
+        timeout => 0,
         @_);
     # Handle https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1635033
     if (get_var("LIVE") && get_var("DESKTOP") eq "gnome") {
@@ -69,7 +72,7 @@ sub root_console {
     else {
         send_key "ctrl-alt-f2";
     }
-    console_login(user=>"root");
+    console_login(user=>"root", timeout=>$args{timeout});
 }
 
 1;
diff --git a/lib/utils.pm b/lib/utils.pm
index 4d755443..d88af0d1 100644
--- a/lib/utils.pm
+++ b/lib/utils.pm
@@ -152,7 +152,10 @@ sub console_login {
     my %args = (
         user => "root",
         password => get_var("ROOT_PASSWORD", "weakpassword"),
+        # default is 10 seconds, set below, 0 means 'default'
+        timeout => 0;
         @_);
+    $args{timeout} ||= 10;
 
     # There's a timing problem when we switch from a logged-in console
     # to a non-logged in console and immediately call this function;
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ sub console_login {
         sleep 2;
     }
 
-    check_screen [$good, 'text_console_login'], 10;
+    check_screen [$good, 'text_console_login'], $args{timeout};
     # if we're already logged in, all is good
     if (match_has_tag $good) {
         _console_login_finish();
diff --git a/tests/_do_install_and_reboot.pm b/tests/_do_install_and_reboot.pm
index 825788c2..827bc110 100644
--- a/tests/_do_install_and_reboot.pm
+++ b/tests/_do_install_and_reboot.pm
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ sub run {
         assert_and_click "anaconda_install_done";
         if (get_var('LIVE')) {
             # reboot from a console, it's more reliable than the desktop
-            # runners
-            $self->root_console;
+            # runners. As of 2018-10 switching to console after liveinst
+            # seems to take a long time, so use a longer timeout here
+            $self->root_console(timeout=>30);
             # if we didn't set a root password during install, set it
             # now...this is kinda icky, but I don't see a great option
             if (get_var("INSTALLER_NO_ROOT")) {