diff --git a/wait-for-it.sh b/wait-for-it.sh
index cfe051c..eb722b0 100755
--- a/wait-for-it.sh
+++ b/wait-for-it.sh
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ CHILD=${CHILD:-0}
 QUIET=${QUIET:-0}
 
 # check to see if timeout is from busybox?
-TIMEOUT_PATH=$(realpath $(type -p timeout))
+TIMEOUT_PATH=$(type -p timeout)
+TIMEOUT_PATH=$(realpath $TIMEOUT_PATH 2>/dev/null || readlink -f $TIMEOUT_PATH)
 if [[ $TIMEOUT_PATH =~ "busybox" ]]; then
         ISBUSY=1
         BUSYTIMEFLAG="-t"