diff --git a/test/common/autotest_common.sh b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
index fdfa37225..6e045a1c4 100644
--- a/test/common/autotest_common.sh
+++ b/test/common/autotest_common.sh
@@ -308,40 +308,67 @@ function waitforlisten() {
 
 	local rpc_addr="${2:-$DEFAULT_RPC_ADDR}"
 
+	if hash ip; then
+		local have_ip_cmd=true
+	else
+		local have_ip_cmd=false
+	fi
+
+	if hash ss; then
+		local have_ss_cmd=true
+	else
+		local have_ss_cmd=false
+	fi
+
 	echo "Waiting for process to start up and listen on UNIX domain socket $rpc_addr..."
 	# turn off trace for this loop
 	local shell_restore_x="$( [[ "$-" =~ x ]] && echo 'set -x' )"
 	set +x
 	local ret=0
-	while true; do
+	local i
+	for (( i = 40; i != 0; i-- )); do
 		# if the process is no longer running, then exit the script
 		#  since it means the application crashed
 		if ! kill -s 0 $1; then
+			echo "ERROR: process (pid: $1) is no longer running"
 			ret=1
 			break
 		fi
 
-		namespace=$(ip netns identify $1)
-		if [ -n "$namespace" ]; then
-			ns_cmd="ip netns exec $namespace"
+		# FIXME: don't know how to fix this for FreeBSD
+		if $have_ip_cmd; then
+			namespace=$(ip netns identify $1)
+			if [ -n "$namespace" ]; then
+				ns_cmd="ip netns exec $namespace"
+			fi
 		fi
 
-		if hash ss; then
+		if $have_ss_cmd; then
 			if $ns_cmd ss -ln | egrep -q "\s+$rpc_addr\s+"; then
 				break
 			fi
-		else
-			# if system doesn't have ss, just assume it has netstat
+		elif [[ "$(uname -s)" == "Linux" ]]; then
+			# For Linux, if system doesn't have ss, just assume it has netstat
 			if $ns_cmd netstat -an | grep -iw LISTENING | egrep -q "\s+$rpc_addr\$"; then
 				break
 			fi
+		else
+			# On FreeBSD netstat output 'State' column is missing for Unix sockets.
+			# To workaround this issue just try to use provided address.
+			# XXX: This solution could be used for other distros.
+			if $rootdir/scripts/rpc.py -t 1 -s "$rpc_addr" get_rpc_methods 1>&2 2>/dev/null; then
+				break
+			fi
 		fi
+		sleep 0.5
 	done
 
 	$shell_restore_x
-	if [ $ret -ne 0 ]; then
-		exit 1
+	if (( i == 0 )); then
+		echo "ERROR: timeout while waiting for process (pid: $1) to start listening on '$rpc_addr'"
+		ret=1
 	fi
+	return $ret
 }
 
 function waitfornbd() {