diff --git a/pvtoolsSrc/eget.cpp b/pvtoolsSrc/eget.cpp
index 68fdd0e..b7cdd30 100644
--- a/pvtoolsSrc/eget.cpp
+++ b/pvtoolsSrc/eget.cpp
@@ -1473,7 +1473,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               /* Set PVA timeout value */
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('eget -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/pvtoolsSrc/pvget.cpp b/pvtoolsSrc/pvget.cpp
index 0fa0307..513f16d 100644
--- a/pvtoolsSrc/pvget.cpp
+++ b/pvtoolsSrc/pvget.cpp
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               /* Set PVA timeout value */
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('pvget -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/pvtoolsSrc/pvinfo.cpp b/pvtoolsSrc/pvinfo.cpp
index 2925170..a43d5f7 100644
--- a/pvtoolsSrc/pvinfo.cpp
+++ b/pvtoolsSrc/pvinfo.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               /* Set PVA timeout value */
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('pvget -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/pvtoolsSrc/pvlist.cpp b/pvtoolsSrc/pvlist.cpp
index 7b5d72a..31cae56 100644
--- a/pvtoolsSrc/pvlist.cpp
+++ b/pvtoolsSrc/pvlist.cpp
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               /* Set PVA timeout value */
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('pvlist -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/pvtoolsSrc/pvput.cpp b/pvtoolsSrc/pvput.cpp
index 1ab4e84..7ed9b05 100644
--- a/pvtoolsSrc/pvput.cpp
+++ b/pvtoolsSrc/pvput.cpp
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               /* Set PVA timeout value */
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1 || timeOut <= 0.0)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('pvput -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/testApp/remote/testGetPerformance.cpp b/testApp/remote/testGetPerformance.cpp
index cae125b..950c300 100644
--- a/testApp/remote/testGetPerformance.cpp
+++ b/testApp/remote/testGetPerformance.cpp
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               // Set PVA timeout value
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('cainfo -h' for help.)\n", optarg);
diff --git a/testApp/remote/testMonitorPerformance.cpp b/testApp/remote/testMonitorPerformance.cpp
index 2b347b5..9d8fc9f 100644
--- a/testApp/remote/testMonitorPerformance.cpp
+++ b/testApp/remote/testMonitorPerformance.cpp
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
             usage();
             return 0;
         case 'w':               // Set PVA timeout value
-            if(epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut) != 1)
+            if((epicsScanDouble(optarg, &timeOut)) != 1)
             {
                 fprintf(stderr, "'%s' is not a valid timeout value "
                         "- ignored. ('cainfo -h' for help.)\n", optarg);