diff --git a/tests/test_util/TestBase.hpp b/tests/test_util/TestBase.hpp
index 58382579..bcb4a09a 100644
--- a/tests/test_util/TestBase.hpp
+++ b/tests/test_util/TestBase.hpp
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 namespace test_util {
 
-template <typename BaseClass, int timeout = 1000>
+template <typename BaseClass>
 class TestBase : public NUClear::Reactor {
 public:
     /**
@@ -46,7 +46,17 @@ class TestBase : public NUClear::Reactor {
     template <int i>
     struct Step {};
 
-    explicit TestBase(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment, const bool& shutdown_on_idle = true)
+    /**
+     * Emit this struct to fail the test
+     */
+    struct Fail {
+        explicit Fail(std::string message) : message(std::move(message)) {}
+        std::string message;
+    };
+
+    explicit TestBase(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment,
+                      const bool& shutdown_on_idle             = true,
+                      const std::chrono::milliseconds& timeout = std::chrono::milliseconds(1000))
         : Reactor(std::move(environment)) {
 
         // Shutdown if the system is idle
@@ -54,13 +64,35 @@ class TestBase : public NUClear::Reactor {
             on<Idle<>>().then([this] { powerplant.shutdown(); });
         }
 
+        on<Shutdown>().then([this] {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(timeout_mutex);
+            clean_shutdown = true;
+            timeout_cv.notify_all();
+        });
+
         // Timeout if the test doesn't complete in time
-        on<Watchdog<BaseClass, timeout, std::chrono::milliseconds>, MainThread>().then([this] {
-            powerplant.shutdown();
-            INFO("Test timed out");
+        // Typically we would use a watchdog, however it is subject to Time Travel
+        // So instead spawn a thread that will wait for the timeout and then fail the test and shut down
+        on<Always>().then([this, timeout] {
+            std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(timeout_mutex);
+            timeout_cv.wait_for(lock, timeout);
+            if (!clean_shutdown) {
+                powerplant.shutdown();
+                emit<Scope::DIRECT>(std::make_unique<Fail>("Test timed out"));
+            }
+        });
+
+        on<Trigger<Fail>, MainThread>().then([this](const Fail& f) {
+            INFO(f.message);
             CHECK(false);
+            powerplant.shutdown();
         });
     }
+
+private:
+    std::mutex timeout_mutex;
+    std::condition_variable timeout_cv;
+    bool clean_shutdown = false;
 };
 
 }  // namespace test_util
diff --git a/tests/tests/api/TimeTravelFrozen.cpp b/tests/tests/api/TimeTravelFrozen.cpp
index 9ab5ae09..162b6023 100644
--- a/tests/tests/api/TimeTravelFrozen.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/api/TimeTravelFrozen.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ constexpr std::chrono::milliseconds SHUTDOWN_TIME = std::chrono::milliseconds(12
 
 struct WaitForShutdown {};
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 5000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
     TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment) : TestBase(std::move(environment), false) {
 
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/Every.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/Every.cpp
index 63b0dbce..445b9650 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/Every.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/Every.cpp
@@ -33,10 +33,11 @@ std::vector<NUClear::clock::time_point> every_times;    // NOLINT(cppcoreguideli
 std::vector<NUClear::clock::time_point> per_times;      // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 std::vector<NUClear::clock::time_point> dynamic_times;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 20000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 
 public:
-    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment) : TestBase(std::move(environment), false) {
+    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment)
+        : TestBase(std::move(environment), false, std::chrono::milliseconds(10000)) {
 
         // Trigger on 3 different types of every
         on<Every<1000, Per<std::chrono::seconds>>>().then([]() { every_times.push_back(NUClear::clock::now()); });
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/Idle.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/Idle.cpp
index e2a86a2b..b2a043ff 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/Idle.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/Idle.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ struct SimpleMessage {
 
 constexpr int time_step = 50;
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 10000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
     template <int N>
     struct CustomPool {
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/IdleSync.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/IdleSync.cpp
index 4a5c860a..eccd9624 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/IdleSync.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/IdleSync.cpp
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ namespace {
 /// A vector of events that have happened
 std::vector<std::string> events;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 1000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
     TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment) : TestBase(std::move(environment), false) {
 
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/TCP.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/TCP.cpp
index 70c1175f..56a346de 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/TCP.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/TCP.cpp
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct TestConnection {
 
 struct Finished {};
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 2000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
     void handle_data(const std::string& name, const IO::Event& event) {
         // We have data to read
@@ -78,7 +78,8 @@ class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 2000> {
         }
     }
 
-    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment) : TestBase(std::move(environment), false) {
+    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment)
+        : TestBase(std::move(environment), false, std::chrono::milliseconds(2000)) {
 
         for (const auto& t : active_tests) {
             switch (t) {
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/Watchdog.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/Watchdog.cpp
index 6669bf8a..407c014b 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/Watchdog.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/Watchdog.cpp
@@ -35,10 +35,10 @@ std::vector<std::string> events;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-gl
 template <int I>
 struct Flag {};
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 10000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
     TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment)
-        : TestBase(std::move(environment), false), start(NUClear::clock::now()) {
+        : TestBase(std::move(environment), false, std::chrono::milliseconds(10000)), start(NUClear::clock::now()) {
 
         on<Watchdog<Flag<1>, 50, std::chrono::milliseconds>>().then([this] {
             events.push_back("Watchdog 1  triggered @ " + floored_time());
diff --git a/tests/tests/dsl/emit/Delay.cpp b/tests/tests/dsl/emit/Delay.cpp
index a20e1aad..573f243a 100644
--- a/tests/tests/dsl/emit/Delay.cpp
+++ b/tests/tests/dsl/emit/Delay.cpp
@@ -51,9 +51,10 @@ struct TargetTimeMessage {
 
 struct FinishTest {};
 
-class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor, 2000> {
+class TestReactor : public test_util::TestBase<TestReactor> {
 public:
-    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment) : TestBase(std::move(environment), false) {
+    TestReactor(std::unique_ptr<NUClear::Environment> environment)
+        : TestBase(std::move(environment), false, std::chrono::milliseconds(2000)) {
 
         // Measure when messages were sent and received and print those values
         on<Trigger<DelayedMessage>>().then([](const DelayedMessage& m) {