diff --git a/match.go b/match.go
index 6f61fd0..0f33d07 100644
--- a/match.go
+++ b/match.go
@@ -20,10 +20,27 @@ func matchLine(pattern, actual string) bool {
 }
 
 func matchOutput(expected, actual []string) bool {
-	return doMatch(expected, 0, actual, 0)
+	memo := make(map[[2]int]int8) // 0=unknown, 1=true, -1=false
+	return doMatch(expected, 0, actual, 0, memo)
 }
 
-func doMatch(expected []string, ei int, actual []string, ai int) bool {
+func doMatch(expected []string, ei int, actual []string, ai int, memo map[[2]int]int8) bool {
+	key := [2]int{ei, ai}
+	if v := memo[key]; v != 0 {
+		return v == 1
+	}
+
+	result := doMatchInner(expected, ei, actual, ai, memo)
+
+	if result {
+		memo[key] = 1
+	} else {
+		memo[key] = -1
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
+func doMatchInner(expected []string, ei int, actual []string, ai int, memo map[[2]int]int8) bool {
 	if ei == len(expected) && ai == len(actual) {
 		return true
 	}
@@ -36,7 +53,7 @@ func doMatch(expected []string, ei int, actual []string, ai int) bool {
 	// Multi-line wildcard
 	if exp == "..." {
 		for skip := ai; skip <= len(actual); skip++ {
-			if doMatch(expected, ei+1, actual, skip) {
+			if doMatch(expected, ei+1, actual, skip, memo) {
 				return true
 			}
 		}
@@ -48,7 +65,7 @@ func doMatch(expected []string, ei int, actual []string, ai int) bool {
 	}
 
 	if matchLine(exp, actual[ai]) {
-		return doMatch(expected, ei+1, actual, ai+1)
+		return doMatch(expected, ei+1, actual, ai+1, memo)
 	}
 
 	return false
diff --git a/match_test.go b/match_test.go
index ef4a4ce..d79ee7e 100644
--- a/match_test.go
+++ b/match_test.go
@@ -99,6 +99,19 @@ func TestMatchOutputInlineAndMultiline(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestMatchOutputConsecutiveWildcards(t *testing.T) {
+	// This would hang before memoization (exponential backtracking)
+	expected := []string{"...", "...", "...", "...", "end"}
+	actual := make([]string, 200)
+	for i := range actual {
+		actual[i] = "line"
+	}
+	// "end" is not in actual, so this should return false — quickly.
+	if matchOutput(expected, actual) {
+		t.Error("should not match when final line is missing")
+	}
+}
+
 func TestDiffBasic(t *testing.T) {
 	d := diff([]string{"hello"}, []string{"world"})
 	if len(d) != 2 {
diff --git a/run.go b/run.go
index bf01c17..540b671 100644
--- a/run.go
+++ b/run.go
@@ -186,8 +186,29 @@ func runFile(file ShoutFile, opts RunOptions) FileResult {
 	stdin.Close()
 
 	var output []byte
-	select {
-	case r := <-ch:
+	if totalTimeout > 0 {
+		select {
+		case r := <-ch:
+			if r.err != nil {
+				if cmd.Process != nil {
+					_ = syscall.Kill(-cmd.Process.Pid, syscall.SIGKILL)
+				}
+				_ = cmd.Wait()
+				waited = true
+				return FileResult{File: file, TmpDir: tmpDir, Error: r.err.Error()}
+			}
+			output = r.data
+		case <-time.After(totalTimeout):
+			if cmd.Process != nil {
+				_ = syscall.Kill(-cmd.Process.Pid, syscall.SIGKILL)
+			}
+			<-ch // drain the reader goroutine so pipe FDs are released
+			_ = cmd.Wait()
+			waited = true
+			return FileResult{File: file, TmpDir: tmpDir, Error: "Timeout reading output"}
+		}
+	} else {
+		r := <-ch
 		if r.err != nil {
 			if cmd.Process != nil {
 				_ = syscall.Kill(-cmd.Process.Pid, syscall.SIGKILL)
@@ -197,14 +218,6 @@ func runFile(file ShoutFile, opts RunOptions) FileResult {
 			return FileResult{File: file, TmpDir: tmpDir, Error: r.err.Error()}
 		}
 		output = r.data
-	case <-time.After(totalTimeout):
-		if cmd.Process != nil {
-			_ = syscall.Kill(-cmd.Process.Pid, syscall.SIGKILL)
-		}
-		<-ch // drain the reader goroutine so pipe FDs are released
-		_ = cmd.Wait()
-		waited = true
-		return FileResult{File: file, TmpDir: tmpDir, Error: "Timeout reading output"}
 	}
 
 	_ = cmd.Wait()