diff --git a/python/unityagents/environment.py b/python/unityagents/environment.py
index 22349ce021..2f39afa71c 100755
--- a/python/unityagents/environment.py
+++ b/python/unityagents/environment.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 import os
 import socket
 import subprocess
-import signal
 
 from .brain import BrainInfo, BrainParameters
 from .exception import UnityEnvironmentException, UnityActionException
@@ -76,28 +75,27 @@ def __init__(self, file_name, worker_id=0,
         except os.error:
             self.close()
             raise UnityEnvironmentException("Couldn't launch new environment. "
-                                            "Provided filename does not match any \environments in {}."
-                                            .format(cwd))
+                "Provided filename does not match any \environments in {}."
+                .format(cwd))
 
-        def timeout_handler():
-            raise UnityEnvironmentException(
+        self._socket.settimeout(30) 
+        try:
+            try:
+                self._socket.listen(1)
+                self._conn, _ = self._socket.accept()
+                self._conn.setblocking(1)
+                p = self._conn.recv(self._buffer_size).decode('utf-8')
+                p = json.loads(p)
+            except socket.timeout as e:
+                raise UnityEnvironmentException(
                 "The Unity environment took too long to respond. Make sure {} does not need user interaction to launch "
-                "and that the Academy and the external Brain(s) scripts are attached to objects in the Scene.".format(
+                "and that the Academy and the external Brain(s) are attached to objects in the Scene.".format(
                     str(file_name)))
-
-        old_handler = signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, timeout_handler)
-        signal.alarm(30)  # trigger alarm in x seconds
-        try:
-            self._socket.listen(1)
-            self._conn, _ = self._socket.accept()
-            p = self._conn.recv(self._buffer_size).decode('utf-8')
-            p = json.loads(p)
         except UnityEnvironmentException:
             proc1.kill()
             self.close()
             raise
-        signal.signal(signal.SIGALRM, old_handler)
-        signal.alarm(0)
+
 
         self._data = {}
         self._global_done = None