diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index a491c5235..e240a26ab 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 DFHack future
 
   Internals:
-   LuaApi
-    support queuing dfhack.timeout events before a world is loaded.
   New scripts:
    add-syndrome.lua
     add a syndrome to a unit. many configurable options
diff --git a/library/LuaTools.cpp b/library/LuaTools.cpp
index b70a33b2a..392659bc8 100644
--- a/library/LuaTools.cpp
+++ b/library/LuaTools.cpp
@@ -1694,6 +1694,12 @@ int dfhack_timeout(lua_State *L)
     luaL_checktype(L, 3, LUA_TFUNCTION);
     lua_settop(L, 3);
 
+    if (mode > 0 && !Core::getInstance().isWorldLoaded())
+    {
+        lua_pushnil(L);
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     // Compute timeout value
     switch (mode)
     {