diff --git a/esrally/driver/runner.py b/esrally/driver/runner.py
index 5cb8f9168..57f3bde34 100644
--- a/esrally/driver/runner.py
+++ b/esrally/driver/runner.py
@@ -676,9 +676,6 @@ async def __call__(self, es, params):
         if max_num_segments:
             merge_params["max_num_segments"] = max_num_segments
         if mode == "polling":
-            # we ignore the request_timeout if we are in polling mode and deliberately timeout early
-            # no reason to wait as long as a whole {polling-period} (which has a minimum of 1 second)
-            merge_params["request_timeout"] = 1
             complete = False
             try:
                 await es.indices.forcemerge(**merge_params)
@@ -687,7 +684,7 @@ async def __call__(self, es, params):
                 pass
             while not complete:
                 await asyncio.sleep(params.get("poll-period"))
-                tasks = await es.tasks.list(params={"actions":"indices:admin/forcemerge"})
+                tasks = await es.tasks.list(params={"actions": "indices:admin/forcemerge"})
                 if len(tasks["nodes"]) == 0:
                     # empty nodes response indicates no tasks
                     complete = True
diff --git a/tests/driver/runner_test.py b/tests/driver/runner_test.py
index 81f38d4b4..932f34892 100644
--- a/tests/driver/runner_test.py
+++ b/tests/driver/runner_test.py
@@ -988,7 +988,7 @@ async def test_force_merge_with_polling_no_timeout(self, es):
 
         force_merge = runner.ForceMerge()
         await force_merge(es, params={"index" : "_all", "mode": "polling", 'poll-period': 0})
-        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all", request_timeout=1)
+        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all")
 
     @mock.patch("elasticsearch.Elasticsearch")
     @run_async
@@ -1038,8 +1038,8 @@ async def test_force_merge_with_polling(self, es):
             })
         ]
         force_merge = runner.ForceMerge()
-        await force_merge(es, params={"index" : "_all", "mode": "polling", "poll-period": 0})
-        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all", request_timeout=1)
+        await force_merge(es, params={"index": "_all", "mode": "polling", "poll-period": 0})
+        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all")
 
     @mock.patch("elasticsearch.Elasticsearch")
     @run_async
@@ -1092,7 +1092,7 @@ async def test_force_merge_with_polling_and_params(self, es):
         # request-timeout should be ignored as mode:polling
         await force_merge(es, params={"index" : "_all", "mode": "polling", "max-num-segments": 1,
                                       "request-timeout": 50000, "poll-period": 0})
-        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all", max_num_segments=1, request_timeout=1)
+        es.indices.forcemerge.assert_called_once_with(index="_all", max_num_segments=1, request_timeout=50000)
 
 
 class IndicesStatsRunnerTests(TestCase):