diff --git a/hst/config.go b/hst/config.go
index 3aa71aa..f5689a4 100644
--- a/hst/config.go
+++ b/hst/config.go
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ const Tmp = "/.hakurei"
 
 var AbsTmp = container.MustAbs(Tmp)
 
+const (
+	// DefaultWaitDelay is used when WaitDelay has its zero value.
+	DefaultWaitDelay = 5 * time.Second
+	// MaxWaitDelay is used if WaitDelay exceeds its value.
+	MaxWaitDelay = 30 * time.Second
+)
+
 // Config is used to seal an app implementation.
 type (
 	Config struct {
diff --git a/internal/app/finalise.go b/internal/app/finalise.go
index f5ae398..ec2d0a9 100644
--- a/internal/app/finalise.go
+++ b/internal/app/finalise.go
@@ -186,13 +186,12 @@ func (k *outcome) finalise(ctx context.Context, msg container.Msg, id *state.ID,
 	}
 
 	// enforce bounds and default early
-	kp.waitDelay = shimWaitTimeout
 	if s.Container.WaitDelay <= 0 {
-		kp.waitDelay += DefaultShimWaitDelay
-	} else if s.Container.WaitDelay > MaxShimWaitDelay {
-		kp.waitDelay += MaxShimWaitDelay
+		kp.waitDelay = hst.DefaultWaitDelay
+	} else if s.Container.WaitDelay > hst.MaxWaitDelay {
+		kp.waitDelay = hst.MaxWaitDelay
 	} else {
-		kp.waitDelay += s.Container.WaitDelay
+		kp.waitDelay = s.Container.WaitDelay
 	}
 
 	if s.Container.MapRealUID {
diff --git a/internal/app/process.go b/internal/app/process.go
index 41fe4bd..63f424f 100644
--- a/internal/app/process.go
+++ b/internal/app/process.go
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"hakurei.app/system"
 )
 
-// duration to wait for shim to exit, after container WaitDelay has elapsed.
+// Duration to wait for shim to exit on top of container WaitDelay.
 const shimWaitTimeout = 5 * time.Second
 
 // mainState holds persistent state bound to outcome.main.
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ func (ms mainState) beforeExit(isFault bool) {
 		waitDone := make(chan struct{})
 
 		// this ties waitDone to ctx with the additional compensated timeout duration
-		go func() { <-ms.k.ctx.Done(); time.Sleep(ms.waitDelay); close(waitDone) }()
+		go func() { <-ms.k.ctx.Done(); time.Sleep(ms.waitDelay + shimWaitTimeout); close(waitDone) }()
 
 		select {
 		case err := <-ms.cmdWait:
diff --git a/internal/app/shim.go b/internal/app/shim.go
index 417f793..de53b97 100644
--- a/internal/app/shim.go
+++ b/internal/app/shim.go
@@ -42,11 +42,6 @@ const (
 	ShimExitRequest = 254
 	// ShimExitOrphan is returned when the shim is orphaned before monitor delivers a signal.
 	ShimExitOrphan = 3
-
-	// DefaultShimWaitDelay is used when WaitDelay has its zero value.
-	DefaultShimWaitDelay = 5 * time.Second
-	// MaxShimWaitDelay is used instead if WaitDelay exceeds its value.
-	MaxShimWaitDelay = 30 * time.Second
 )
 
 // ShimMain is the main function of the shim process and runs as the unconstrained target user.