diff --git a/doc/man-pages/pod1/xstat_fs_test.pod b/doc/man-pages/pod1/xstat_fs_test.pod
index b405cb7b11..f8d94db10e 100644
--- a/doc/man-pages/pod1/xstat_fs_test.pod
+++ b/doc/man-pages/pod1/xstat_fs_test.pod
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ Cache Manager. The default is 30 seconds.
 =item B<-period> <I<data collection time>>
 
 Sets the number of minutes the program runs; at the end of this period of
-time, the program exits. The default is 10 minutes.
+time, the program exits. The default is 10 minutes.  Period 0 means run
+forever.
 
 =item B<-debug>
 
diff --git a/src/xstat/xstat_cm.c b/src/xstat/xstat_cm.c
index a7d0a033f9..9850d43f48 100644
--- a/src/xstat/xstat_cm.c
+++ b/src/xstat/xstat_cm.c
@@ -662,8 +662,6 @@ xstat_cm_Wait(int sleep_secs)
 	}
     } else if (sleep_secs == 0) {
 	/* Sleep forever. */
-	tv.tv_sec = 24 * 60;
-	tv.tv_usec = 0;
 	if (xstat_cm_debug)
 	    fprintf(stderr, "[%s] going to sleep ...\n", rn);
 	while (1) {
@@ -671,7 +669,7 @@ xstat_cm_Wait(int sleep_secs)
 			  0,	/*Descriptors ready for reading */
 			  0,	/*Descriptors ready for writing */
 			  0,	/*Descriptors with exceptional conditions */
-			  &tv);	/*Timeout structure */
+			  NULL);	/* NULL timeout means "forever" */
 	    if (code < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "[%s] select() error %d\n", rn, errno);
 		break;
diff --git a/src/xstat/xstat_fs.c b/src/xstat/xstat_fs.c
index 3ebf97f59e..3145a008da 100644
--- a/src/xstat/xstat_fs.c
+++ b/src/xstat/xstat_fs.c
@@ -856,8 +856,6 @@ xstat_fs_Wait(int sleep_secs)
 	}
     } else if (sleep_secs == 0) {
 	/* Sleep forever. */
-	tv.tv_sec = 24 * 60;
-	tv.tv_usec = 0;
 	if (xstat_fs_debug)
 	    fprintf(stderr, "[ %s ] going to sleep ...\n", rn);
 	while (1) {
@@ -865,7 +863,7 @@ xstat_fs_Wait(int sleep_secs)
 			  0,	/*Descriptors ready for reading */
 			  0,	/*Descriptors ready for writing */
 			  0,	/*Descriptors with exceptional conditions */
-			  &tv);	/*Timeout structure */
+			  NULL);	/* NULL timeout means "forever" */
 	    if (code < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "[%s] select() error %d\n", rn, errno);
 		break;