diff --git a/include/cronhooks.php b/include/cronhooks.php
index d5daf0d7d4..0ba453555c 100644
--- a/include/cronhooks.php
+++ b/include/cronhooks.php
@@ -37,9 +37,15 @@ function cronhooks_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 
 	$lockpath = get_config('system','lockpath');
 	if ($lockpath != '') {
-		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'cron.lck');
+		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'cronhooks');
 		if($pidfile->is_already_running()) {
 			logger("cronhooks: Already running");
+			if ($pidfile->running_time() > 9*60) {
+                                $pidfile->kill();
+                                logger("cronhooks: killed stale process");
+				// Calling a new instance
+				proc_run('php','include/cronhooks.php');
+                        }
 			exit;
 		}
 	}
@@ -52,8 +58,6 @@ function cronhooks_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 
 	$d = datetime_convert();
 
-	set_time_limit(9*60*60); // Setting the maximum execution time for cronjobs to 9 minutes.
-
 	call_hooks('cron', $d);
 
 	logger('cronhooks: end');
diff --git a/include/onepoll.php b/include/onepoll.php
index 49047118a4..15b8e7c2cc 100644
--- a/include/onepoll.php
+++ b/include/onepoll.php
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ function onepoll_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 	// Test
 	$lockpath = get_config('system','lockpath');
 	if ($lockpath != '') {
-		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'onepoll'.$contact_id.'.lck');
+		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'onepoll'.$contact_id);
 		if($pidfile->is_already_running()) {
 			logger("onepoll: Already running for contact ".$contact_id);
 			exit;
diff --git a/include/pidfile.php b/include/pidfile.php
index 47df8d1f46..4f5b25ad75 100644
--- a/include/pidfile.php
+++ b/include/pidfile.php
@@ -28,5 +28,14 @@ class pidfile {
 	public function is_already_running() {
 		return $this->_running;
 	}
+
+	public function running_time() {
+		return(time() - filectime($this->_file));
+	}
+
+	public function kill() {
+		if (file_exists($this->_file))
+			return(posix_kill(file_get_contents($this->_file), SIGTERM));
+	}
 }
 ?>
diff --git a/include/poller.php b/include/poller.php
index 084067b190..b04c77f744 100644
--- a/include/poller.php
+++ b/include/poller.php
@@ -43,9 +43,15 @@ function poller_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 
 	$lockpath = get_config('system','lockpath');
 	if ($lockpath != '') {
-		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'poller.lck');
+		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'poller');
 		if($pidfile->is_already_running()) {
 			logger("poller: Already running");
+			if ($pidfile->running_time() > 9*60) {
+                                $pidfile->kill();
+                                logger("poller: killed stale process");
+                                // Calling a new instance
+                                proc_run('php','include/poller.php');
+                        }
 			exit;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/include/queue.php b/include/queue.php
index 7fb6c6d90a..bc3cc258cc 100644
--- a/include/queue.php
+++ b/include/queue.php
@@ -86,9 +86,15 @@ function queue_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 
 	$lockpath = get_config('system','lockpath');
 	if ($lockpath != '') {
-		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'queue.lck');
+		$pidfile = new pidfile($lockpath, 'queue');
 		if($pidfile->is_already_running()) {
 			logger("queue: Already running");
+			if ($pidfile->running_time() > 9*60) {
+				$pidfile->kill();
+				logger("queue: killed stale process");
+				// Calling a new instance
+				proc_run('php',"include/queue.php");
+			}
 			return;
 		}
 	}
@@ -106,8 +112,6 @@ function queue_run(&$argv, &$argc){
 
 	logger('queue: start');
 
-	set_time_limit(9*60*60); // Setting the maximum execution time for queue job to 9 minutes.
-
 	handle_pubsubhubbub();
 
 	$interval = ((get_config('system','delivery_interval') === false) ? 2 : intval(get_config('system','delivery_interval')));