diff --git a/fdbrpc/AsyncFileKAIO.actor.h b/fdbrpc/AsyncFileKAIO.actor.h
index b74f62d0fd..81cc3870f1 100644
--- a/fdbrpc/AsyncFileKAIO.actor.h
+++ b/fdbrpc/AsyncFileKAIO.actor.h
@@ -504,7 +504,7 @@ private:
 		}
 
 		void setIOTimeout(double timeout) {
-			ioTimeout = timeout;
+			ioTimeout = fabs(timeout);
 			timeoutWarnOnly = timeout < 0;
 		}