diff --git a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
index 684978ff9..0a752ee2e 100644
--- a/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
+++ b/spinnman/spalloc/spalloc_job.py
@@ -132,12 +132,16 @@ def create_transceiver(self) -> Transceiver:
         """
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def wait_for_state_change(self, old_state: SpallocState) -> SpallocState:
+    def wait_for_state_change(self, old_state: SpallocState,
+                              timeout: int = None) -> SpallocState:
         """
         Wait until the allocation is not in the given old state.
 
         :param SpallocState old_state:
             The state that we are looking to change out of.
+        :param timeout:
+            The time to wait, or None to wait forever
+        :type timeout: int or None
         :return: The state that the allocation is now in.
 
             .. note::
@@ -146,10 +150,15 @@ def wait_for_state_change(self, old_state: SpallocState) -> SpallocState:
         """
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def wait_until_ready(self):
+    def wait_until_ready(self, timeout: int = None, n_retries: int = None):
         """
         Wait until the allocation is in the ``READY`` state.
 
+        :param timeout: The timeout or None to wait forever
+        :type timeout: int or None
+        :param n_retries:
+            The number of times to retry, or None to retry forever
+        :type n_retries: int or None
         :raises Exception: If the allocation is destroyed
         """