diff --git a/hst/config.go b/hst/config.go
index 9f4ee2f..a0843ae 100644
--- a/hst/config.go
+++ b/hst/config.go
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ type (
 		Hostname string `json:"hostname,omitempty"`
 
 		// Duration in nanoseconds to wait for after interrupting the initial process.
-		// Defaults to [WaitDelayDefault] if less than or equals to zero,
-		// or [WaitDelayMax] if greater than [WaitDelayMax].
+		// Defaults to [WaitDelayDefault] if zero, or [WaitDelayMax] if greater than [WaitDelayMax].
+		// Values lesser than zero is equivalent to zero, bypassing [WaitDelayDefault].
 		WaitDelay time.Duration `json:"wait_delay,omitempty"`
 
 		// Emit Flatpak-compatible seccomp filter programs.
diff --git a/internal/app/outcome.go b/internal/app/outcome.go
index 84a4bae..0999ae9 100644
--- a/internal/app/outcome.go
+++ b/internal/app/outcome.go
@@ -81,7 +81,9 @@ func (s *outcomeState) populateEarly(k syscallDispatcher, msg message.Msg) {
 	s.Shim = &shimParams{PrivPID: os.Getpid(), Verbose: msg.IsVerbose()}
 
 	// enforce bounds and default early
-	if s.Container.WaitDelay <= 0 {
+	if s.Container.WaitDelay < 0 {
+		s.Shim.WaitDelay = 0
+	} else if s.Container.WaitDelay == 0 {
 		s.Shim.WaitDelay = hst.WaitDelayDefault
 	} else if s.Container.WaitDelay > hst.WaitDelayMax {
 		s.Shim.WaitDelay = hst.WaitDelayMax
diff --git a/internal/app/spcontainer.go b/internal/app/spcontainer.go
index b637831..9d8227e 100644
--- a/internal/app/spcontainer.go
+++ b/internal/app/spcontainer.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (s *spParamsOp) toContainer(state *outcomeStateParams) error {
 
 	// the container is canceled when shim is requested to exit or receives an interrupt or termination signal;
 	// this behaviour is implemented in the shim
-	state.params.ForwardCancel = state.Container.WaitDelay >= 0
+	state.params.ForwardCancel = state.Shim.WaitDelay >= 0
 
 	if state.Container.Multiarch {
 		state.params.SeccompFlags |= seccomp.AllowMultiarch