diff --git a/clients/labnag.c b/clients/labnag.c
index fa3c3aea..7509d065 100644
--- a/clients/labnag.c
+++ b/clients/labnag.c
@@ -29,13 +29,12 @@
 #include <wayland-client.h>
 #include <wayland-cursor.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
+#include "action-prompt-codes.h"
 #include "pool-buffer.h"
 #include "cursor-shape-v1-client-protocol.h"
 #include "wlr-layer-shell-unstable-v1-client-protocol.h"
 
 #define LABNAG_MAX_HEIGHT 500
-#define LAB_EXIT_FAILURE 255
-#define LAB_EXIT_SUCCESS 0
 
 struct conf {
 	PangoFontDescription *font_description;
@@ -1239,6 +1238,7 @@ nag_run(struct nag *nag)
 			wl_display_cancel_read(nag->display);
 		}
 		if (nag->pollfds[FD_TIMER].revents & POLLIN) {
+			exit_status = LAB_EXIT_TIMEOUT;
 			break;
 		}
 		if (nag->pollfds[FD_SIGNAL].revents & POLLIN) {
diff --git a/clients/meson.build b/clients/meson.build
index 3a80a4f0..fefd5bd4 100644
--- a/clients/meson.build
+++ b/clients/meson.build
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ executable(
     server_protos,
     epoll_dep,
   ],
+  include_directories: [labwc_inc],
 	install: true
 )
 
diff --git a/include/action-prompt-codes.h b/include/action-prompt-codes.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d1ca0f05
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/action-prompt-codes.h
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-only */
+#ifndef LABWC_ACTION_PROMPT_CODES_H
+#define LABWC_ACTION_PROMPT_CODES_H
+
+#define LAB_EXIT_FAILURE 255
+#define LAB_EXIT_TIMEOUT 254
+#define LAB_EXIT_SUCCESS 0
+
+#endif /* LABWC_ACTION_PROMPT_CODES_H */
diff --git a/src/action.c b/src/action.c
index eb027087..f377e3bd 100644
--- a/src/action.c
+++ b/src/action.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <wlr/types/wlr_scene.h>
 #include <wlr/util/log.h>
+#include "action-prompt-codes.h"
 #include "common/macros.h"
 #include "common/list.h"
 #include "common/mem.h"
@@ -860,9 +861,11 @@ action_check_prompt_result(pid_t pid, int exit_code)
 
 		wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Found pending prompt for exit code %d", exit_code);
 		struct wl_list *actions = NULL;
-		if (exit_code == 0) {
+		if (exit_code == LAB_EXIT_SUCCESS) {
 			wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Selected the 'then' branch");
 			actions = action_get_actionlist(prompt->action, "then");
+		} else if (exit_code == LAB_EXIT_TIMEOUT) {
+			/* no-op */
 		} else {
 			wlr_log(WLR_INFO, "Selected the 'else' branch");
 			actions = action_get_actionlist(prompt->action, "else");