diff --git a/heat/engine/service.py b/heat/engine/service.py
index bd3c807c6f..bcd7801b5a 100644
--- a/heat/engine/service.py
+++ b/heat/engine/service.py
@@ -79,6 +79,10 @@ cfg.CONF.import_opt('enable_stack_abandon', 'heat.common.config')
 cfg.CONF.import_opt('enable_stack_adopt', 'heat.common.config')
 cfg.CONF.import_opt('convergence_engine', 'heat.common.config')
 
+# Time to wait for a stack to stop when cancelling running threads, before
+# giving up on being able to start a delete.
+STOP_STACK_TIMEOUT = 30
+
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -1147,7 +1151,8 @@ class EngineService(service.Service):
         # Another active engine has the lock
         elif service_utils.engine_alive(cnxt, engine_id):
             cancel_result = self._remote_call(
-                cnxt, engine_id, self.listener.SEND,
+                cnxt, engine_id, cfg.CONF.engine_life_check_timeout,
+                self.listener.SEND,
                 stack_identity=stack_identity, message=cancel_message)
             if cancel_result is None:
                 LOG.debug("Successfully sent %(msg)s message "
@@ -1337,8 +1342,7 @@ class EngineService(service.Service):
 
         return api.format_stack_output(outputs[output_key])
 
-    def _remote_call(self, cnxt, lock_engine_id, call, **kwargs):
-        timeout = cfg.CONF.engine_life_check_timeout
+    def _remote_call(self, cnxt, lock_engine_id, timeout, call, **kwargs):
         self.cctxt = self._client.prepare(
             version='1.0',
             timeout=timeout,
@@ -1396,7 +1400,8 @@ class EngineService(service.Service):
         # Another active engine has the lock
         elif service_utils.engine_alive(cnxt, acquire_result):
             cancel_result = self._remote_call(
-                cnxt, acquire_result, self.listener.SEND,
+                cnxt, acquire_result, cfg.CONF.engine_life_check_timeout,
+                self.listener.SEND,
                 stack_identity=stack_identity, message=rpc_api.THREAD_CANCEL)
             if cancel_result is None:
                 LOG.debug("Successfully sent %(msg)s message "
@@ -1436,7 +1441,8 @@ class EngineService(service.Service):
             elif service_utils.engine_alive(cnxt, acquire_result):
                 # Another active engine has the lock
                 stop_result = self._remote_call(
-                    cnxt, acquire_result, self.listener.STOP_STACK,
+                    cnxt, acquire_result, STOP_STACK_TIMEOUT,
+                    self.listener.STOP_STACK,
                     stack_identity=stack_identity)
                 if stop_result is None:
                     LOG.debug("Successfully stopped remote task "
diff --git a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_delete.py b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_delete.py
index ab0dd282d8..418c9018e6 100644
--- a/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_delete.py
+++ b/heat/tests/engine/service/test_stack_delete.py
@@ -165,7 +165,8 @@ class StackDeleteTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         mock_load.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, stack=st)
         mock_try.assert_called_once_with()
         mock_alive.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE)
-        mock_call.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, "send",
+        mock_call.assert_called_once_with(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, mock.ANY,
+                                          "send",
                                           message='cancel',
                                           stack_identity=mock.ANY)
 
@@ -203,10 +204,10 @@ class StackDeleteTest(common.HeatTestCase):
         mock_try.assert_called_with()
         mock_alive.assert_called_with(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE)
         mock_call.assert_has_calls([
-            mock.call(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, "send",
+            mock.call(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, mock.ANY, "send",
                       message='cancel',
                       stack_identity=mock.ANY),
-            mock.call(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, "stop_stack",
+            mock.call(self.ctx, OTHER_ENGINE, mock.ANY, "stop_stack",
                       stack_identity=mock.ANY)
         ])
         mock_acquire.assert_called_once_with(True)
diff --git a/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_delete.py b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_delete.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92b1c74512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/heat_integrationtests/functional/test_delete.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import time
+
+from heat_integrationtests.functional import functional_base
+
+
+class DeleteInProgressTest(functional_base.FunctionalTestsBase):
+
+    root_template = '''
+heat_template_version: 2013-05-23
+resources:
+    rg:
+        type: OS::Heat::ResourceGroup
+        properties:
+            count: 125
+            resource_def:
+                type: empty.yaml
+'''
+
+    empty_template = '''
+heat_template_version: 2013-05-23
+resources:
+'''
+
+    def test_delete_nested_stacks_create_in_progress(self):
+        files = {'empty.yaml': self.empty_template}
+        identifier = self.stack_create(template=self.root_template,
+                                       files=files,
+                                       expected_status='CREATE_IN_PROGRESS')
+        time.sleep(20)
+        self._stack_delete(identifier)