diff --git a/qubesmanager/backup.py b/qubesmanager/backup.py
index 4887aa1..dfc69d0 100644
--- a/qubesmanager/backup.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/backup.py
@@ -178,14 +178,7 @@ class BackupVMsWindow(Ui_Backup, QWizard):
         return some_selected_vms_running
 
     def shutdown_all_running_selected(self):
-        names = []
-        vms = []
-        for i in range(self.select_vms_widget.selected_list.count()):
-            item = self.select_vms_widget.selected_list.item(i)
-            if item.vm.is_running() and item.vm.qid != 0:
-                names.append(item.vm.name)
-                vms.append(item.vm)
-
+        (names, vms) = self.get_running_vms()
         if len(vms) == 0:
             return;
 
@@ -197,24 +190,34 @@ class BackupVMsWindow(Ui_Backup, QWizard):
         self.app.processEvents()
 
         if reply == QMessageBox.Yes:
+            
+            wait_time = 60.0
             for vm in vms:
-                self.shutdown_vm_func(vm)
+                self.shutdown_vm_func(vm, wait_time*1000)
 
             progress = QProgressDialog ("Shutting down VMs <b>{0}</b>...".format(', '.join(names)), "", 0, 0)
             progress.setModal(True)
             progress.show()
 
-            wait_time = 15.0
             wait_for = wait_time
             while self.check_running() and wait_for > 0:
                 self.app.processEvents()
-                time.sleep (0.1)
-                wait_for -= 0.1
+                time.sleep (0.5)
+                wait_for -= 0.5
 
             progress.hide()
 
-            if self.check_running():
-                QMessageBox.information(None, "Strange", "Could not power down the VMs in {0} seconds...".format(wait_time))
+
+    def get_running_vms(self):
+        names = []
+        vms = []
+        for i in range(self.select_vms_widget.selected_list.count()):
+            item = self.select_vms_widget.selected_list.item(i)
+            if item.vm.is_running() and item.vm.qid != 0:
+                names.append(item.vm.name)
+                vms.append(item.vm)
+        return (names, vms)
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/qubesmanager/main.py b/qubesmanager/main.py
index 3977b2b..0e0f858 100755
--- a/qubesmanager/main.py
+++ b/qubesmanager/main.py
@@ -611,28 +611,28 @@ class VmRowInTable(object):
 
 
 
-vm_shutdown_timeout = 15000 # in msec
+vm_shutdown_timeout = 20000 # in msec
 
 class VmShutdownMonitor(QObject):
-    def __init__(self, vm):
+    def __init__(self, vm, shutdown_time = vm_shutdown_timeout):
         self.vm = vm
+        self.shutdown_time = shutdown_time
 
     def check_if_vm_has_shutdown(self):
         vm = self.vm
         vm_start_time = vm.get_start_time()
-        if not vm.is_running() or (vm_start_time and vm_start_time >= datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(0,vm_shutdown_timeout/1000)):
+        if not vm.is_running() or (vm_start_time and vm_start_time >= datetime.utcnow() - timedelta(0,self.shutdown_time/1000)):
             if vm.is_template():
                 trayIcon.showMessage ("Qubes VM Manager", "You have just modified template '{0}'. You should now restart all the VMs based on it, so they could see the changes.".format(vm.name), msecs=8000)
             return
 
         reply = QMessageBox.question(None, "VM Shutdown",
-                                     "The VM <b>'{0}'</b> hasn't shutdown within the last {1} seconds, do you want to kill it?<br>".format(vm.name, vm_shutdown_timeout/1000),
-                                     "Kill it!", "Wait another {0} seconds...".format(vm_shutdown_timeout/1000))
-
+                                     "The VM <b>'{0}'</b> hasn't shutdown within the last {1} seconds, do you want to kill it?<br>".format(vm.name, self.shutdown_time/1000),
+                                     "Kill it!", "Wait another {0} seconds...".format(self.shutdown_time/1000))
         if reply == 0:
             vm.force_shutdown()
         else:
-            QTimer.singleShot (vm_shutdown_timeout, self.check_if_vm_has_shutdown)
+            QTimer.singleShot (self.shutdown_time, self.check_if_vm_has_shutdown)
 
 
 class VmManagerWindow(Ui_VmManagerWindow, QMainWindow):
@@ -1222,7 +1222,7 @@ class VmManagerWindow(Ui_VmManagerWindow, QMainWindow):
             self.shutdown_vm(vm)
 
 
-    def shutdown_vm(self, vm):
+    def shutdown_vm(self, vm, shutdown_time = vm_shutdown_timeout):
         try:
             subprocess.check_call (["/usr/sbin/xl", "shutdown", vm.name])
         except Exception as ex:
@@ -1231,8 +1231,8 @@ class VmManagerWindow(Ui_VmManagerWindow, QMainWindow):
 
         trayIcon.showMessage ("Qubes VM Manager", "VM '{0}' is shutting down...".format(vm.name), msecs=3000)
 
-        self.shutdown_monitor[vm.qid] = VmShutdownMonitor (vm)
-        QTimer.singleShot (vm_shutdown_timeout, self.shutdown_monitor[vm.qid].check_if_vm_has_shutdown)
+        self.shutdown_monitor[vm.qid] = VmShutdownMonitor (vm, shutdown_time)
+        QTimer.singleShot (shutdown_time, self.shutdown_monitor[vm.qid].check_if_vm_has_shutdown)
 
 
     @pyqtSlot(name='on_action_killvm_triggered')