Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for responding to a timeout of a message in a parallel computer are provided. The parallel computer includes a plurality of compute nodes operatively coupled for data communications over one or more data communications networks. Each compute node includes one or more tasks. Embodiments include a first task of a first node sending a message to a second task on a second node. Embodiments also include the first task sending to the second node a command via a parallel operating environment (POE) in response to a timeout of the message. The command instructs the second node to perform a timeout motivated operation.