diff --git a/src/leveled_sst.erl b/src/leveled_sst.erl
index 3e7b156..8448bd5 100644
--- a/src/leveled_sst.erl
+++ b/src/leveled_sst.erl
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@
 -define(COMPRESS_AT_LEVEL, 1).
 -define(INDEX_MODDATE, true).
 -define(USE_SET_FOR_SPEED, 64).
+-define(STARTUP_TIMEOUT, 10000).
 
 -include_lib("eunit/include/eunit.hrl").
 
@@ -103,6 +104,7 @@
         code_change/4,
         starting/2,
         starting/3,
+        reader/2,
         reader/3,
         delete_pending/2,
         delete_pending/3]).
@@ -185,6 +187,7 @@
                     index_moddate = ?INDEX_MODDATE :: boolean(),
                     timings = no_timing :: sst_timings(),
                     timings_countdown = 0 :: integer(),
+                    starting_pid :: pid()|undefined,
                     fetch_cache = array:new([{size, ?CACHE_SIZE}])}).
 
 -record(sst_timings, 
@@ -266,7 +269,8 @@ sst_new(RootPath, Filename, Level, KVList, MaxSQN, OptsSST, IndexModDate) ->
                                         {SlotList, FK},
                                         MaxSQN,
                                         OptsSST0,
-                                        IndexModDate},
+                                        IndexModDate,
+                                        self()},
                                     infinity) of
         {ok, {SK, EK}, Bloom} ->
             {ok, Pid, {SK, EK}, Bloom}
@@ -322,7 +326,8 @@ sst_new(RootPath, Filename,
                                                 {SlotList, FK},
                                                 MaxSQN,
                                                 OptsSST0,
-                                                IndexModDate},
+                                                IndexModDate,
+                                                self()},
                                             infinity) of
                 {ok, {SK, EK}, Bloom} ->
                     {ok, Pid, {{Rem1, Rem2}, SK, EK}, Bloom}
@@ -463,7 +468,7 @@ starting({sst_open, RootPath, Filename, OptsSST}, _From, State) ->
 starting({sst_new, 
             RootPath, Filename, Level, 
             {SlotList, FirstKey}, MaxSQN,
-            OptsSST, IdxModDate}, _From, State) ->
+            OptsSST, IdxModDate, StartingPID}, _From, State) ->
     SW = os:timestamp(),
     leveled_log:save(OptsSST#sst_options.log_options),
     PressMethod = OptsSST#sst_options.press_method,
@@ -485,7 +490,9 @@ starting({sst_new,
     {reply,
         {ok, {Summary#summary.first_key, Summary#summary.last_key}, Bloom},
         reader,
-        UpdState#state{blockindex_cache = BlockIndex}}.
+        UpdState#state{blockindex_cache = BlockIndex,
+                        starting_pid = StartingPID},
+        ?STARTUP_TIMEOUT}.
 
 starting({sst_newlevelzero, RootPath, Filename,
                     Slots, FetchFun, Penciller, MaxSQN,
@@ -630,6 +637,10 @@ reader(close, _From, State) ->
     ok = file:close(State#state.handle),
     {stop, normal, ok, State}.
 
+reader(timeout, State) ->
+    true = is_process_alive(State#state.starting_pid),
+    {next_state, reader, State}.
+
 
 delete_pending({get_kv, LedgerKey, Hash}, _From, State) ->
     {Result, UpdState, _Ts} = fetch(LedgerKey, Hash, State, no_timing),