diff --git a/src/mint-lib/mint_api_context.c b/src/mint-lib/mint_api_context.c
index 4ab46e4ee..be3df7c21 100644
--- a/src/mint-lib/mint_api_context.c
+++ b/src/mint-lib/mint_api_context.c
@@ -333,15 +333,23 @@ TALER_MINT_get_select_info (struct TALER_MINT_Context *ctx,
                             int *max_fd,
                             long *timeout)
 {
+  long to;
+
   GNUNET_assert (CURLM_OK ==
                  curl_multi_fdset (ctx->multi,
                                    read_fd_set,
                                    write_fd_set,
                                    except_fd_set,
                                    max_fd));
+  to = *timeout;
   GNUNET_assert (CURLM_OK ==
                  curl_multi_timeout (ctx->multi,
-                                     timeout));
+                                     &to));
+  /* Only if what we got back from curl is smaller than what we
+     already had (-1 == infinity!), then update timeout */
+  if ( (to < *timeout) &&
+       (-1 != to) )
+    *timeout = to;
   if ( (-1 == (*timeout)) &&
        (NULL != ctx->jobs_head) )
     *timeout = 1000 * 60 * 5; /* curl is not always good about giving timeouts */