diff --git a/secop/modules.py b/secop/modules.py
index fff3a92..07c0936 100644
--- a/secop/modules.py
+++ b/secop/modules.py
@@ -223,11 +223,12 @@ class Module(object):
         '''runs after init of all modules
 
         started_callback to be called when thread spawned by late_init
-        or, if not implmemented, immediately
+        or, if not implemented, immediately
+        might return a timeout value, if different from default
         '''
 
         self.log.debug('empty %s.start_module()' % self.__class__.__name__)
-        started_callback(self)
+        started_callback()
 
 
 class Readable(Module):
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ class Readable(Module):
             except Exception as e:
                 self.log.exception(e)
                 self.status = (self.Status.ERROR, 'polling thread could not start')
-                started_callback(self)
+                started_callback()
                 print(formatException(0, sys.exc_info(), verbose=True))
                 time.sleep(10)
 
@@ -281,7 +282,7 @@ class Readable(Module):
         """super simple and super stupid per-module polling thread"""
         i = 0
         fastpoll = self.poll(i)
-        started_callback(self)
+        started_callback()
         while True:
             i += 1
             try:
diff --git a/secop/server.py b/secop/server.py
index 9689084..13d913b 100644
--- a/secop/server.py
+++ b/secop/server.py
@@ -39,12 +39,6 @@ try:
 except ImportError:
     import ConfigParser as configparser  # py2
 
-try:
-    from queue import Queue # py 3
-except ImportError:
-    from Queue import Queue # py 2
-
-
 try:
     import daemon.pidlockfile as pidlockfile
 except ImportError:
@@ -198,18 +192,14 @@ class Server(object):
         for modname, modobj in self.modules.items():
             modobj.init_module()
 
-        starting_modules = set()
-        finished_modules = Queue()
+        start_events = []
         for modname, modobj in self.modules.items():
-            starting_modules.add(modobj)
-            modobj.start_module(started_callback=finished_modules.put)
-        # remark: it is the module implementors responsibility to call started_callback
-        # within reasonable time (using timeouts). If we find later, that this is not
-        # enough, we might insert checking for a timeout here, and somehow set the remaining
-        # starting_modules to an error state.
-        while starting_modules:
-            finished = finished_modules.get()
-            self.log.info(u'%s has started' % finished.name)
-            # use discard instead of remove here, catching the case when started_callback is called twice
-            starting_modules.discard(finished)
-            finished_modules.task_done()
+            event = threading.Event()
+            # start_module must return either a timeout value or None (default 30 sec)
+            timeout = modobj.start_module(started_callback=event.set) or 30
+            start_events.append((time.time() + timeout, modname, event))
+        self.log.info(u'waiting for modules being started')
+        for deadline, modname, event in sorted(start_events):
+            if not event.wait(timeout=max(0, deadline - time.time())):
+                self.log.info('WARNING: timeout when starting module %s' % modname)
+        self.log.info(u'all modules started')
diff --git a/test/test_modules.py b/test/test_modules.py
index f08f09d..e68d91d 100644
--- a/test/test_modules.py
+++ b/test/test_modules.py
@@ -25,17 +25,12 @@ from __future__ import division, print_function
 # no fixtures needed
 #import pytest
 
+import threading
 from secop.datatypes import BoolType, EnumType, FloatRange
 from secop.metaclass import ModuleMeta
 from secop.modules import Communicator, Drivable, Module
 from secop.params import Command, Override, Parameter
 
-try:
-    import Queue as queue
-except ImportError:
-    import queue as queue
-
-
 
 
 def test_Communicator():
@@ -55,9 +50,9 @@ def test_Communicator():
     o = Communicator('communicator',logger, {}, srv)
     o.early_init()
     o.init_module()
-    q = queue.Queue()
-    o.start_module(q.put)
-    q.get()
+    event = threading.Event()
+    o.start_module(event.set)
+    assert event.is_set() # event should be set immediately
 
 def test_ModuleMeta():
     newclass1 = ModuleMeta.__new__(ModuleMeta, 'TestDrivable', (Drivable,), {
@@ -68,6 +63,8 @@ def test_ModuleMeta():
             "cmd": Command('stuff', BoolType(), BoolType())
         },
         "commands": {
+            # intermixing parameters with commands is not recommended,
+            # but acceptable for influencing the order
             'a1': Parameter('a1', datatype=BoolType(), default=False),
             'a2': Parameter('a2', datatype=BoolType(), default=True),
             'value': Override(datatype=BoolType(), default=True),
@@ -99,6 +96,7 @@ def test_ModuleMeta():
     logger = type('LoggerStub', (object,), dict(
         debug = lambda self, *a: print(*a),
         info = lambda self, *a: print(*a),
+        exception = lambda self, *a: print(*a),
     ))()
 
     dispatcher = type('DispatcherStub', (object,), dict(
@@ -144,6 +142,17 @@ def test_ModuleMeta():
         o.early_init()
     for o in objects:
         o.init_module()
-    q = queue.Queue()
+
     for o in objects:
-        o.start_module(q.put)
+        event = threading.Event()
+        event2 = threading.Event()
+        def started_callback(event=event, event2=event2):
+            if event.is_set():
+                event2.set()
+            else:
+                event.set()
+            raise Exception("end test") # this will kill the polling thread on the second call
+
+        o.start_module(started_callback)
+        assert event2.wait(timeout=1)
+        assert event.is_set()