diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d31f6175..22290da0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 The BigCommerce server emulator for local theme development.
 
 ## Install
-_Note: Stencil requires the Node.js runtime environment, version 6.x or later. We have tested Stencil on selected Node.js versions, from 6.10.3 to 7.9.0_
+_Note: Stencil requires the Node.js runtime environment, version 6.x or later. We have tested Stencil on selected Node.js versions, from 6.10.3 to 8.12.0_
 
 Run `npm install -g @bigcommerce/stencil-cli`.
 
diff --git a/lib/build-config.js b/lib/build-config.js
index 0f131992..9296d486 100644
--- a/lib/build-config.js
+++ b/lib/build-config.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ function devWorker(browserSync) {
     if (!worker) {
         return;
     }
-    // send a message to the worker to start watching 
+    // send a message to the worker to start watching
     // and wait for message to reload the browser
     worker.send('development');
     worker.on('message', message => {
@@ -70,10 +70,13 @@ function prodWorker(done) {
     const callback = _.once(done);
 
     if (!worker) {
-        return process.nextTick(() => callback('noworker'));
+        return process.nextTick(() => callback('worker initialization failed'));
     }
 
-    const timeout = setTimeout(() => callback('timeout'), 5000);
+    const timeout = setTimeout(() => {
+        worker.kill();
+        callback('worker timed out');
+    }, 20000);
 
     onWorkerReady(() => {
         clearTimeout(timeout);
@@ -87,5 +90,5 @@ function prodWorker(done) {
         });
     });
 
-    worker.on('close', () => callback('noworker'));
+    worker.on('close', () => callback('worker terminated'));
 }
diff --git a/lib/build-config.spec.js b/lib/build-config.spec.js
index d38e180b..26294679 100644
--- a/lib/build-config.spec.js
+++ b/lib/build-config.spec.js
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ describe('stencilBuildConfig', () => {
 
             expect(buildConfig.production).to.be.a.function();
             buildConfig.initWorker().production(message => {
-                expect(message).to.equal('noworker');
+                expect(message).to.equal('worker terminated');
                 done();
             });
         });
diff --git a/lib/stencil-bundle.js b/lib/stencil-bundle.js
index de964bd1..b0eae989 100644
--- a/lib/stencil-bundle.js
+++ b/lib/stencil-bundle.js
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@ function Bundle(themePath, themeConfig, rawConfig, options) {
     if (typeof buildConfig.production === 'function') {
         tasks.theme = callback => {
             console.log('Theme task Started...');
-            buildConfig.initWorker().production(() => {
+            buildConfig.initWorker().production(err => {
+                if (err) {
+                    return callback(err);
+                }
+
                 console.log('ok'.green + ' -- Theme task Finished');
                 callback();
             });
@@ -284,7 +288,6 @@ function bundleTaskRunner(callback) {
         defaultName = 'Theme.zip';
     }
 
-
     Async.parallel(this.tasks, (err, taskResults) => {
         if (err) {
             return callback(err);