diff --git a/resources/static/common/js/user.js b/resources/static/common/js/user.js
index 122196c475ed1419d0abbb1a111b147b223883a8..c0fc1103baed0c40776ee17ec7d603fa363966c7 100644
--- a/resources/static/common/js/user.js
+++ b/resources/static/common/js/user.js
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ BrowserID.User = (function() {
       primaryAuthCache = {},
       complete = bid.Helpers.complete,
       registrationComplete = false,
-      POLL_TIMEOUT = 3000,
-      pollTimeout = POLL_TIMEOUT;
+      POLL_DURATION = 3000,
+      pollDuration = POLL_DURATION;
 
   function prepareDeps() {
     if (!jwcrypto) {
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ BrowserID.User = (function() {
           else complete(onSuccess, status);
         }
         else if (status === 'pending') {
-          pollTimeout = setTimeout(poll, pollTimeout);
+          pollTimeout = setTimeout(poll, pollDuration);
         }
         else if (onFailure) {
             onFailure(status);
@@ -285,9 +285,11 @@ BrowserID.User = (function() {
         provisioning = config.provisioning;
       }
 
-      if (config.pollTimeout) {
-        pollTimeout = config.pollTimeout;
+      // BEGIN TESTING API
+      if (config.pollDuration) {
+        pollDuration = config.pollDuration;
       }
+      // END TESTING API
 
     },
 
@@ -295,7 +297,7 @@ BrowserID.User = (function() {
       provisioning = BrowserID.Provisioning;
       User.resetCaches();
       registrationComplete = false;
-      pollTimeout = POLL_TIMEOUT;
+      pollDuration = POLL_DURATION;
     },
 
     resetCaches: function() {
diff --git a/resources/static/test/cases/dialog/js/modules/check_registration.js b/resources/static/test/cases/dialog/js/modules/check_registration.js
index 12a7622998b22bcac9ae69f44a886ab51cb6d887..8a8319d80c9af2c9d700611716d5e146359cf903 100644
--- a/resources/static/test/cases/dialog/js/modules/check_registration.js
+++ b/resources/static/test/cases/dialog/js/modules/check_registration.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@
   });
 
   asyncTest("user validation with pending->complete with auth_level = assertion, no authentication info given - authenticate_specified_email triggered", function() {
-    user.init({ pollTimeout: 100 });
+    user.init({ pollDuration: 100 });
     xhr.useResult("pending");
     xhr.setContextInfo("auth_level", "assertion");
     testMustAuthUserEvent("authenticate_specified_email", "user must authenticate");
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@
 
 
   asyncTest("user validation with pending->complete with auth_level = assertion, authentication info given - user_verified triggered", function() {
-    user.init({ pollTimeout: 100 });
+    user.init({ pollDuration: 100 });
     xhr.useResult("pending");
     xhr.setContextInfo("auth_level", "password");
 
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
   });
 
   asyncTest("user validation with pending->complete with auth_level = password - user_verified triggered", function() {
-    user.init({ pollTimeout: 100 });
+    user.init({ pollDuration: 100 });
     xhr.useResult("pending");
     xhr.setContextInfo("auth_level", "password");