diff --git a/editors/ed.c b/editors/ed.c
index 7f21ded92..05797692c 100644
--- a/editors/ed.c
+++ b/editors/ed.c
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ static void addLines(int num)
 		 * 0  on ctrl-C,
 		 * >0 length of input string, including terminating '\n'
 		 */
-		len = read_line_input(NULL, "", buf, sizeof(buf), /*timeout*/ -1);
+		len = read_line_input(NULL, "", buf, sizeof(buf));
 		if (len <= 0) {
 			/* Previously, ctrl-C was exiting to shell.
 			 * Now we exit to ed prompt. Is in important? */
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ static void doCommands(void)
 		 * 0  on ctrl-C,
 		 * >0 length of input string, including terminating '\n'
 		 */
-		len = read_line_input(NULL, ": ", buf, sizeof(buf), /*timeout*/ -1);
+		len = read_line_input(NULL, ": ", buf, sizeof(buf));
 		if (len <= 0)
 			return;
 		while (len && isspace(buf[--len]))
@@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ static void doCommands(void)
 			}
 			if (!dirty)
 				return;
-			len = read_line_input(NULL, "Really quit? ", buf, 16, /*timeout*/ -1);
+			len = read_line_input(NULL, "Really quit? ", buf, 16);
 			/* read error/EOF - no way to continue */
 			if (len < 0)
 				return;
diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 9aba71949..46180c5aa 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -1639,9 +1639,9 @@ enum {
  * buffer[0] is used as a counter of buffered chars and must be 0
  * on first call.
  * timeout:
- * -2: do not poll for input;
- * -1: poll(-1) (i.e. block);
- * >=0: poll for TIMEOUT milliseconds, return -1/EAGAIN on timeout
+ * -2: do not poll(-1) for input - read() it, return on EAGAIN at once
+ * -1: poll(-1) (i.e. block even on NONBLOCKed fd)
+ * >=0: poll() for TIMEOUT milliseconds, return -1/EAGAIN on timeout
  */
 int64_t read_key(int fd, char *buffer, int timeout) FAST_FUNC;
 void read_key_ungets(char *buffer, const char *str, unsigned len) FAST_FUNC;
@@ -1657,6 +1657,7 @@ unsigned size_from_HISTFILESIZE(const char *hp) FAST_FUNC;
 # endif
 typedef struct line_input_t {
 	int flags;
+	int timeout;
 	const char *path_lookup;
 # if MAX_HISTORY
 	int cnt_history;
@@ -1692,7 +1693,7 @@ line_input_t *new_line_input_t(int flags) FAST_FUNC;
  * 0  on ctrl-C (the line entered is still returned in 'command'),
  * >0 length of input string, including terminating '\n'
  */
-int read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *command, int maxsize, int timeout) FAST_FUNC;
+int read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *command, int maxsize) FAST_FUNC;
 void show_history(const line_input_t *st) FAST_FUNC;
 # if ENABLE_FEATURE_EDITING_SAVE_ON_EXIT
 void save_history(line_input_t *st);
@@ -1700,7 +1701,7 @@ void save_history(line_input_t *st);
 #else
 #define MAX_HISTORY 0
 int read_line_input(const char* prompt, char* command, int maxsize) FAST_FUNC;
-#define read_line_input(state, prompt, command, maxsize, timeout) \
+#define read_line_input(state, prompt, command, maxsize) \
 	read_line_input(prompt, command, maxsize)
 #endif
 
diff --git a/libbb/lineedit.c b/libbb/lineedit.c
index e5721b063..0106093a1 100644
--- a/libbb/lineedit.c
+++ b/libbb/lineedit.c
@@ -1267,6 +1267,7 @@ line_input_t* FAST_FUNC new_line_input_t(int flags)
 {
 	line_input_t *n = xzalloc(sizeof(*n));
 	n->flags = flags;
+	n->timeout = -1;
 #if MAX_HISTORY > 0
 	n->max_history = MAX_HISTORY;
 #endif
@@ -2130,7 +2131,7 @@ enum {
  * Backspace deletes last matched char.
  * Control keys exit search and return to normal editing (at current history line).
  */
-static int32_t reverse_i_search(void)
+static int32_t reverse_i_search(int timeout)
 {
 	char match_buf[128]; /* for user input */
 	char read_key_buffer[KEYCODE_BUFFER_SIZE];
@@ -2152,8 +2153,8 @@ static int32_t reverse_i_search(void)
 		int h;
 		unsigned match_buf_len = strlen(match_buf);
 
-//FIXME: correct timeout?
-		ic = lineedit_read_key(read_key_buffer, -1);
+//FIXME: correct timeout? (i.e. count it down?)
+		ic = lineedit_read_key(read_key_buffer, timeout);
 
 		switch (ic) {
 		case CTRL('R'): /* searching for the next match */
@@ -2256,9 +2257,10 @@ static int32_t reverse_i_search(void)
  * (in both cases the cursor remains on the input line, '\n' is not printed)
  * >0 length of input string, including terminating '\n'
  */
-int FAST_FUNC read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *command, int maxsize, int timeout)
+int FAST_FUNC read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *command, int maxsize)
 {
 	int len;
+	int timeout;
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_TAB_COMPLETION
 	smallint lastWasTab = 0;
 #endif
@@ -2297,8 +2299,15 @@ int FAST_FUNC read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *comman
 		maxsize = MAX_LINELEN;
 	S.maxsize = maxsize;
 
-	/* With zero flags, no other fields are ever used */
-	state = st ? st : (line_input_t*) &const_int_0;
+	timeout = -1;
+	/* Make state->flags == 0 if st is NULL.
+	 * With zeroed flags, no other fields are ever referenced.
+	 */
+	state = (line_input_t*) &const_int_0;
+	if (st) {
+		state = st;
+		timeout = st->timeout;
+	}
 #if MAX_HISTORY > 0
 # if ENABLE_FEATURE_EDITING_SAVEHISTORY
 	if (state->hist_file)
@@ -2510,7 +2519,7 @@ int FAST_FUNC read_line_input(line_input_t *st, const char *prompt, char *comman
 		}
 #if ENABLE_FEATURE_REVERSE_SEARCH
 		case CTRL('R'):
-			ic = ic_raw = reverse_i_search();
+			ic = ic_raw = reverse_i_search(timeout);
 			goto again;
 #endif
 
diff --git a/shell/ash.c b/shell/ash.c
index 78baa9aac..b285e3d33 100644
--- a/shell/ash.c
+++ b/shell/ash.c
@@ -10185,8 +10185,8 @@ preadfd(void)
 	if (!iflag || g_parsefile->pf_fd != STDIN_FILENO)
 		nr = nonblock_immune_read(g_parsefile->pf_fd, buf, IBUFSIZ - 1);
 	else {
-		int timeout = -1;
 # if ENABLE_ASH_IDLE_TIMEOUT
+		int timeout = -1;
 		if (iflag) {
 			const char *tmout_var = lookupvar("TMOUT");
 			if (tmout_var) {
@@ -10195,12 +10195,13 @@ preadfd(void)
 					timeout = -1;
 			}
 		}
+		line_input_state->timeout = timeout;
 # endif
 # if ENABLE_FEATURE_TAB_COMPLETION
 		line_input_state->path_lookup = pathval();
 # endif
 		reinit_unicode_for_ash();
-		nr = read_line_input(line_input_state, cmdedit_prompt, buf, IBUFSIZ, timeout);
+		nr = read_line_input(line_input_state, cmdedit_prompt, buf, IBUFSIZ);
 		if (nr == 0) {
 			/* ^C pressed, "convert" to SIGINT */
 			write(STDOUT_FILENO, "^C", 2);
diff --git a/shell/hush.c b/shell/hush.c
index 93ed0bc0b..6fa4e1630 100644
--- a/shell/hush.c
+++ b/shell/hush.c
@@ -2411,8 +2411,7 @@ static int get_user_input(struct in_str *i)
 		/* buglet: SIGINT will not make new prompt to appear _at once_,
 		 * only after <Enter>. (^C works immediately) */
 		r = read_line_input(G.line_input_state, prompt_str,
-				G.user_input_buf, CONFIG_FEATURE_EDITING_MAX_LEN-1,
-				/*timeout*/ -1
+				G.user_input_buf, CONFIG_FEATURE_EDITING_MAX_LEN-1
 		);
 		/* read_line_input intercepts ^C, "convert" it to SIGINT */
 		if (r == 0)
diff --git a/util-linux/fdisk.c b/util-linux/fdisk.c
index e00f85864..4828c0a51 100644
--- a/util-linux/fdisk.c
+++ b/util-linux/fdisk.c
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ read_line(const char *prompt)
 {
 	int sz;
 
-	sz = read_line_input(NULL, prompt, line_buffer, sizeof(line_buffer), /*timeout*/ -1);
+	sz = read_line_input(NULL, prompt, line_buffer, sizeof(line_buffer));
 	if (sz <= 0)
 		exit(EXIT_SUCCESS); /* Ctrl-D or Ctrl-C */