diff --git a/etc/run_tblastx.sanger b/etc/run_tblastx.sanger
index 32b5b26d7beae912db4d5f3c4e1c6c3a3455c3d5..ab69ee8d4b3de7705a86d4a689a8fce7e7f3f0ca 100755
--- a/etc/run_tblastx.sanger
+++ b/etc/run_tblastx.sanger
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ run_one_prog () {
 
 
     # Artemis can read compressed files
-    while [ ! -f $OUTPUT_FILE ]; do sleep 2; done
+    count=0; while  (test ! -f $OUTPUT_FILE)  && (test $count -lt 1000) ; do sleep 2; count+=1; done
 
     if [ -s ${PROG}_errors.new ]
     then