diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
index 57fb58157e..2176167eb7 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/cooker.py
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ class BBCooker:
                     # read notified events and enqeue them
                     n.read_events()
                     n.process_events()
-            return True
+            return 1.0
 
         self.configuration.server_register_idlecallback(_process_inotify_updates, [self.confignotifier, self.notifier])
 
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
index 7671b26a80..c9286ddba7 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/process.py
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ class ProcessServer(Process, BaseImplServer):
                     nextsleep = None
                 elif retval is True:
                     nextsleep = None
+                elif isinstance(retval, float):
+                    if (retval < nextsleep):
+                        nextsleep = retval
                 elif nextsleep is None:
                     continue
                 else:
diff --git a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
index 17f3d9d906..75ec8556f4 100644
--- a/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
+++ b/bitbake/lib/bb/server/xmlrpc.py
@@ -242,6 +242,9 @@ class XMLRPCServer(SimpleXMLRPCServer, BaseImplServer):
                         del self._idlefuns[function]
                     elif retval is True:
                         nextsleep = 0
+                    elif isinstance(retval, float):
+                        if (retval < nextsleep):
+                            nextsleep = retval
                     else:
                         fds = fds + retval
                 except SystemExit: