diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/CommandLine.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/CommandLine.java
index 30727ec255718..f26889c48afa4 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/CommandLine.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/CommandLine.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.OutputStream;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 
 public class CommandLine {
 
@@ -100,6 +101,10 @@ public void execute() {
     waitFor();
   }
 
+  public boolean waitForProcessStarted(long duration, TimeUnit unit) {
+    return process.waitForProcessStarted(duration, unit);
+  }
+
   public void waitFor() {
     try {
       process.waitFor();
diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/OsProcess.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/OsProcess.java
index 3680b4b820613..9f4a01460a433 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/OsProcess.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/os/OsProcess.java
@@ -105,6 +105,10 @@ public void executeAsync() {
     }
   }
 
+  public boolean waitForProcessStarted(long duration, TimeUnit unit) {
+    return executeWatchdog.waitForProcessStarted(duration, unit);
+  }
+
   private OutputStream getOutputStream() {
     return drainTo == null ? inputOut
         : new MultiOutputStream(inputOut, drainTo);
@@ -112,18 +116,21 @@ private OutputStream getOutputStream() {
 
   public int destroy() {
     SeleniumWatchDog watchdog = executeWatchdog;
-    watchdog.waitForProcessStarted();
 
-    // I literally have no idea why we don't try and kill the process nicely on Windows. If you do,
-    // answers on the back of a postcard to SeleniumHQ, please.
-    if (!Platform.getCurrent().is(WINDOWS)) {
-      watchdog.destroyProcess();
-      watchdog.waitForTerminationAfterDestroy(2, SECONDS);
-    }
+    if (watchdog.waitForProcessStarted(2, TimeUnit.MINUTES)) {
+      // I literally have no idea why we don't try and kill the process nicely on Windows. If you do,
+      // answers on the back of a postcard to SeleniumHQ, please.
+      if (!Platform.getCurrent().is(WINDOWS)) {
+        watchdog.destroyProcess();
+        watchdog.waitForTerminationAfterDestroy(2, SECONDS);
+      }
 
-    if (isRunning()) {
-      watchdog.destroyHarder();
-      watchdog.waitForTerminationAfterDestroy(1, SECONDS);
+      if (isRunning()) {
+        watchdog.destroyHarder();
+        watchdog.waitForTerminationAfterDestroy(1, SECONDS);
+      }
+    } else {
+      log.warning("Tried to destory a process which never started.");
     }
 
     // Make a best effort to drain the streams.
@@ -236,8 +243,9 @@ public void reset() {
       starting = true;
     }
 
-    private void waitForProcessStarted() {
-      while (starting) {
+    private boolean waitForProcessStarted(long duration, TimeUnit unit) {
+      long end = System.currentTimeMillis() + unit.toMillis(duration);
+      while (starting && System.currentTimeMillis() < end) {
         try {
           Thread.sleep(50);
         } catch (InterruptedException e) {
@@ -245,6 +253,8 @@ private void waitForProcessStarted() {
           throw new WebDriverException(e);
         }
       }
+
+      return !starting;
     }
 
     private void waitForTerminationAfterDestroy(int duration, TimeUnit unit) {
diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/service/DriverService.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/service/DriverService.java
index f762d2cf9ce8f..26044b68b5dc0 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/service/DriverService.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/remote/service/DriverService.java
@@ -213,6 +213,9 @@ public void start() throws IOException {
       process.setEnvironmentVariables(environment);
       process.copyOutputTo(getOutputStream());
       process.executeAsync();
+      if (!process.waitForProcessStarted(timeout.toMillis(), TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS)) {
+        throw new WebDriverException("Timed out waiting for driver process to start.");
+      }
 
       CompletableFuture<StartOrDie> serverStarted = CompletableFuture.supplyAsync(() -> {
         waitUntilAvailable();
@@ -231,13 +234,15 @@ public void start() throws IOException {
       try {
         StartOrDie status = (StartOrDie) CompletableFuture.anyOf(serverStarted, processFinished)
           .get(getTimeout().toMillis() * 2, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
-        if (status == StartOrDie.SERVER_STARTED) {
-          processFinished.cancel(true);
-        } else {
-          if (status == StartOrDie.PROCESS_DIED) {
+        switch (status) {
+          case SERVER_STARTED:
+            processFinished.cancel(true);
+            break;
+          case PROCESS_DIED:
             process = null;
             throw new WebDriverException("Driver server process died prematurely.");
-          }
+          case PROCESS_IS_ACTIVE:
+            throw new WebDriverException("Timed out waiting for driver server to bind the port.");
         }
       } catch (ExecutionException | TimeoutException e) {
         throw new WebDriverException("Timed out waiting for driver server to start.", e);