diff --git a/tests/hwsim/hostapd.py b/tests/hwsim/hostapd.py
index 33cfa6206..4613efe3a 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/hostapd.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/hostapd.py
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ class Hostapd:
                 vals[name_val[0]] = name_val[1]
         return vals
 
-def add_ap(ifname, params, wait_enabled=True, no_enable=False):
+def add_ap(ifname, params, wait_enabled=True, no_enable=False, timeout=30):
         logger.info("Starting AP " + ifname)
         hapd_global = HostapdGlobal()
         hapd_global.remove(ifname)
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ def add_ap(ifname, params, wait_enabled=True, no_enable=False):
             return hapd
         hapd.enable()
         if wait_enabled:
-            ev = hapd.wait_event(["AP-ENABLED", "AP-DISABLED"], timeout=30)
+            ev = hapd.wait_event(["AP-ENABLED", "AP-DISABLED"], timeout=timeout)
             if ev is None:
                 raise Exception("AP startup timed out")
             if "AP-ENABLED" not in ev:
diff --git a/tests/hwsim/test_hostapd_oom.py b/tests/hwsim/test_hostapd_oom.py
index cb9122582..63e02588a 100644
--- a/tests/hwsim/test_hostapd_oom.py
+++ b/tests/hwsim/test_hostapd_oom.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ def hostapd_oom_loop(apdev, params, start_func="main"):
         if "OK" not in hapd.request("TEST_ALLOC_FAIL %d:%s" % (i, start_func)):
             raise HwsimSkip("TEST_ALLOC_FAIL not supported")
         try:
-            hostapd.add_ap(apdev[1]['ifname'], params)
+            hostapd.add_ap(apdev[1]['ifname'], params, timeout=2.5)
             logger.info("Iteration %d - success" % i)
             hapd_global.remove(apdev[1]['ifname'])