diff --git a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/RemoteProcedureDispatcher.java b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/RemoteProcedureDispatcher.java
index a060f14ccf9a..03702e6f64bb 100644
--- a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/RemoteProcedureDispatcher.java
+++ b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/RemoteProcedureDispatcher.java
@@ -310,8 +310,14 @@ public TimeoutExecutorThread() {
     @Override
     public void run() {
       while (running.get()) {
-        final DelayedWithTimeout task = DelayedUtil.takeWithoutInterrupt(queue);
+        final DelayedWithTimeout task = DelayedUtil.takeWithoutInterrupt(queue,
+          20, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
         if (task == null || task == DelayedUtil.DELAYED_POISON) {
+          if (task == null && queue.size() > 0) {
+            LOG.error("DelayQueue for RemoteProcedureDispatcher is not empty when timed waiting"
+              + " elapsed. If this is repeated consistently, it means no element is getting expired"
+              + " from the queue and it might freeze the system. Queue: {}", queue);
+          }
           // the executor may be shutting down, and the task is just the shutdown request
           continue;
         }
diff --git a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/TimeoutExecutorThread.java b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/TimeoutExecutorThread.java
index 1e796d9ba5a7..fc917b6f36ed 100644
--- a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/TimeoutExecutorThread.java
+++ b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/TimeoutExecutorThread.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 package org.apache.hadoop.hbase.procedure2;
 
 import java.util.concurrent.DelayQueue;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.procedure2.util.DelayedUtil;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hbase.procedure2.util.DelayedUtil.DelayedWithTimeout;
 import org.apache.yetus.audience.InterfaceAudience;
@@ -52,7 +53,8 @@ public void sendStopSignal() {
   @Override
   public void run() {
     while (executor.isRunning()) {
-      final DelayedWithTimeout task = DelayedUtil.takeWithoutInterrupt(queue);
+      final DelayedWithTimeout task = DelayedUtil.takeWithoutInterrupt(queue, 20,
+        TimeUnit.SECONDS);
       if (task == null || task == DelayedUtil.DELAYED_POISON) {
         // the executor may be shutting down,
         // and the task is just the shutdown request
diff --git a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/util/DelayedUtil.java b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/util/DelayedUtil.java
index 4d3ebd91b449..fa796ae97426 100644
--- a/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/util/DelayedUtil.java
+++ b/hbase-procedure/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/procedure2/util/DelayedUtil.java
@@ -77,9 +77,10 @@ public String toString() {
   /**
    * @return null (if an interrupt) or an instance of E; resets interrupt on calling thread.
    */
-  public static <E extends Delayed> E takeWithoutInterrupt(final DelayQueue<E> queue) {
+  public static <E extends Delayed> E takeWithoutInterrupt(final DelayQueue<E> queue,
+      final long timeout, final TimeUnit timeUnit) {
     try {
-      return queue.take();
+      return queue.poll(timeout, timeUnit);
     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
       Thread.currentThread().interrupt();
       return null;