diff --git a/src/util/externalcommandhelper.cpp b/src/util/externalcommandhelper.cpp
index a877dd7..4591307 100644
--- a/src/util/externalcommandhelper.cpp
+++ b/src/util/externalcommandhelper.cpp
@@ -17,9 +17,7 @@
 
 #include "externalcommandhelper.h"
 
-#include <QDate>
 #include <QtDBus>
-#include <QDBusContext>
 #include <QDebug>
 #include <QFile>
 #include <QString>
@@ -28,6 +26,9 @@
 
 #include <KLocalizedString>
 
+// exit helper if no ping for 42s
+#define TIMEOUT 42000
+
 /** Initialize ExternalCommandHelper Daemon and prepare DBus interface
 */
 ActionReply ExternalCommandHelper::init(const QVariantMap& args)
@@ -47,11 +48,9 @@ ActionReply ExternalCommandHelper::init(const QVariantMap& args)
     }
     QDBusConnection::systemBus().registerObject(QStringLiteral("/Helper"), this, QDBusConnection::ExportAllSlots);
 
-    m_pingTime = new QDateTime(QDateTime::currentDateTime());
-
-    QTimer *timer = new QTimer(this);
-    connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, &ExternalCommandHelper::checkPing);
-    timer->start(20000); // check ping every 20 secs
+    timer = new QTimer(this);
+    connect(timer, &QTimer::timeout, this, [=] () { exit(m_callerUuid); });
+    timer->start(TIMEOUT);
 
     HelperSupport::progressStep(QVariantMap());
     m_loop.exec();
@@ -250,20 +249,7 @@ void ExternalCommandHelper::ping(const QString &Uuid)
     if (!isCallerAuthorized(Uuid))
         return;
 
-    // update ping
-    m_pingTime->setDate(QDate::currentDate());
-    m_pingTime->setTime(QTime::currentTime());
-}
-
-void ExternalCommandHelper::checkPing()
-{
-    qint64 mSecsSinceLastPing = m_pingTime->msecsTo(QDateTime::currentDateTime());
-
-    qDebug() << mSecsSinceLastPing / 1000.0 << " seconds since the last ping.";
-
-    if (mSecsSinceLastPing >= 42000) { // more than 42 seconds since the last ping
-        exit(m_callerUuid);
-    }
+    timer->setInterval(TIMEOUT);
 }
 
 void ExternalCommandHelper::onReadOutput()
diff --git a/src/util/externalcommandhelper.h b/src/util/externalcommandhelper.h
index 4aea8d4..aba456a 100644
--- a/src/util/externalcommandhelper.h
+++ b/src/util/externalcommandhelper.h
@@ -20,11 +20,12 @@
 
 #include <KAuth>
 
-#include <QDateTime>
 #include <QEventLoop>
 #include <QString>
 #include <QProcess>
 
+class QTimer;
+
 using namespace KAuth;
 
 class ExternalCommandHelper : public QObject
@@ -47,9 +48,6 @@ public Q_SLOTS:
     Q_SCRIPTABLE void exit(const QString& Uuid);
     Q_SCRIPTABLE void ping(const QString& Uuid);
 
-private Q_SLOTS:
-    void checkPing();
-
 private:
     void onReadOutput();
     bool isCallerAuthorized(const QString& Uuid);
@@ -60,7 +58,7 @@ private:
     QString m_sourceDevice;
     QProcess m_cmd;
 
-    QDateTime *m_pingTime;
+    QTimer *timer;
 //     QByteArray output;
 };