diff --git a/packer/plugin/command.go b/packer/plugin/command.go
index da1d4ca56..3f5a66b0e 100644
--- a/packer/plugin/command.go
+++ b/packer/plugin/command.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package plugin
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"errors"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"net/rpc"
 	"os/exec"
@@ -24,17 +25,27 @@ func Command(cmd *exec.Cmd) (result packer.Command, err error) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// TODO: timeout
-	// TODO: check that command is even running
-	address := ""
-	for {
-		line, err := out.ReadBytes('\n')
-		if err == nil {
-			address = strings.TrimSpace(string(line))
-			break
-		}
+	cmdExited := make(chan bool)
+	go func() {
+		cmd.Wait()
+		cmdExited <- true
+	}()
+
+	var address string
+	for done := false; !done; {
+		select {
+		case <-cmdExited:
+			err = errors.New("plugin exited before we could connect")
+			return
+		case <-time.After(10 * time.Millisecond):
+			if line, err := out.ReadBytes('\n'); err == nil {
+				address = strings.TrimSpace(string(line))
+				done = true
+			}
 
-		time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
+			// Make sure to reset err to nil
+			err = nil
+		}
 	}
 
 	client, err := rpc.Dial("tcp", address)
diff --git a/packer/plugin/command_test.go b/packer/plugin/command_test.go
index 2088b6cd5..9dfe56464 100644
--- a/packer/plugin/command_test.go
+++ b/packer/plugin/command_test.go
@@ -22,3 +22,10 @@ func TestCommand_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	result := command.Synopsis()
 	assert.Equal(result, "1", "should return result")
 }
+
+func TestCommand_CommandExited(t *testing.T) {
+	assert := asserts.NewTestingAsserts(t, true)
+
+	_, err := Command(helperProcess("im-a-command-that-doesnt-work"))
+	assert.NotNil(err, "should have an error")
+}
diff --git a/packer/plugin/plugin_test.go b/packer/plugin/plugin_test.go
index 630bf3eda..e8397085e 100644
--- a/packer/plugin/plugin_test.go
+++ b/packer/plugin/plugin_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 package plugin
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 )
 
 type helperCommand byte
@@ -38,5 +40,30 @@ func TestHelperProcess(*testing.T) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	ServeCommand(new(helperCommand))
+	args := os.Args
+	for len(args) > 0 {
+		if args[0] == "--" {
+			args = args[1:]
+			break
+		}
+
+		args = args[1:]
+	}
+
+	if len(args) == 0 {
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "No command\n")
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+
+	cmd, args := args[0], args[1:]
+	switch cmd {
+	case "command":
+		ServeCommand(new(helperCommand))
+	case "start-timeout":
+		time.Sleep(1 * time.Minute)
+		os.Exit(1)
+	default:
+		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Unknown command: %q\n", cmd)
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
 }