diff --git a/executor/executor.go b/executor/executor.go
index 4dadbbd..05baeaf 100644
--- a/executor/executor.go
+++ b/executor/executor.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package executor
 
 import (
 	"bufio"
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -354,6 +355,8 @@ func Run(path string, env []string, emitter screwdriver.Emitter, build screwdriv
 				code = 3
 			}
 			_ = c.Process.Signal(syscall.SIGABRT)
+			terminateSleep(shellBin, sourceDir, true) // kill all running sleep
+
 		case stepAbort := <-sig:
 			f.Write([]byte{4})
 			if firstError == nil {
@@ -361,6 +364,7 @@ func Run(path string, env []string, emitter screwdriver.Emitter, build screwdriv
 				code = 1
 			}
 			_ = c.Process.Signal(syscall.SIGABRT)
+			terminateSleep(shellBin, sourceDir, false) // kill all running sleep other than sleep $SD_TERMINATION_GRACE_PERIOD_SECS
 		}
 
 		if err := api.UpdateStepStop(buildID, cmd.Name, code); err != nil {
@@ -396,6 +400,25 @@ func Run(path string, env []string, emitter screwdriver.Emitter, build screwdriv
 			firstError = cmdErr
 		}
 	}
-
+	terminateSleep(shellBin, sourceDir, true) // kill running sleep $SD_TERMINATION_GRACE_PERIOD_SECS
 	return firstError
 }
+
+// terminate long running sleep process for abort, timeout, n after teardown steps
+func terminateSleep(shellBin, sourceDir string, killAll bool) {
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+	shargs := []string{"-e", "-c"}
+	cmdStr := "pids=$(ps -ef | grep '[s]leep' | awk '{print $2}'); pidcnt=$(echo $pids | wc -w); if [ $pidcnt -gt 1 ]; then kill $(echo $pids | awk '{$NF=\"\"}1'); else echo $pids; fi;"
+	if killAll {
+		cmdStr = "pids=$(ps -ef | grep '[s]leep' | awk '{print $2}'); if [ ! -z $pids ]; then kill $pids; else echo $pids; fi;"
+	}
+	shargs = append(shargs, cmdStr)
+	c := exec.Command(shellBin, shargs...)
+	c.Stdout = &stdout
+	c.Stderr = &stderr
+	c.Dir = sourceDir
+	err := c.Run()
+	if err != nil || strings.TrimSpace(stderr.String()) != "" {
+		fmt.Printf("error %v, %v, in terminating sleep", err, strings.TrimSpace(stderr.String()))
+	}
+}