Index: modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/activity/ExternalActivityBehaviour.java
===================================================================
--- modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/activity/ExternalActivityBehaviour.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/activity/ExternalActivityBehaviour.java	(working copy)
@@ -61,4 +61,5 @@
    *   used any more and if this is during a transaction, the transaction should be 
    *   rolled back. */
   void signal(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName, Map<String, ?> parameters) throws Exception;
+  void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception; 
 }
Index: modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/history/HistoryTask.java
===================================================================
--- modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/history/HistoryTask.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/api/src/main/java/org/jbpm/api/history/HistoryTask.java	(working copy)
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 public interface HistoryTask {
 
   String STATE_COMPLETED = "completed";
+  String STATE_TIMEDOUT = "timed out";
 
   /** the unique id for this task that is used as a reference in the service methods */
   String getId();
Index: modules/jpdl/src/main/java/org/jbpm/jpdl/internal/activity/TaskActivity.java
===================================================================
--- modules/jpdl/src/main/java/org/jbpm/jpdl/internal/activity/TaskActivity.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/jpdl/src/main/java/org/jbpm/jpdl/internal/activity/TaskActivity.java	(working copy)
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 import org.jbpm.api.JbpmException;
 import org.jbpm.api.activity.ActivityExecution;
 import org.jbpm.api.model.Transition;
+import org.jbpm.api.task.Task;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.cal.Duration;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.el.Expression;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.env.EnvironmentImpl;
@@ -175,6 +176,24 @@
     }
   }
   
+  // JBPM-2537: A triggered timer does not end the task which is left
+  
+  public void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+    timeout((ExecutionImpl) execution, signalName);
+  }
+  
+  public void timeout(ExecutionImpl execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+
+    DbSession taskDbSession = EnvironmentImpl .getFromCurrent(DbSession.class);
+    TaskImpl task = (TaskImpl) taskDbSession.findTaskByExecution(execution);
+    if (task!=null) {
+      task.setSignalling(false);
+      task.timeout();
+      taskDbSession.delete((Task) task);
+    }
+    
+  }
+  
   public TaskDefinitionImpl getTaskDefinition() {
     return taskDefinition;
   }
Index: modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/job/TimerImpl.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/job/TimerImpl.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/job/TimerImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
 import java.util.Date;
 
 import org.jbpm.api.JbpmException;
+import org.jbpm.api.activity.ActivityBehaviour;
+import org.jbpm.api.activity.ExternalActivityBehaviour;
 import org.jbpm.api.cmd.Environment;
 import org.jbpm.api.job.Timer;
 import org.jbpm.internal.log.Log;
@@ -33,6 +35,7 @@
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.id.DbidGenerator;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.jobexecutor.JobAddedNotification;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.jobexecutor.JobExecutor;
+import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.model.ActivityImpl;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.model.ObservableElement;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.session.DbSession;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.session.TimerSession;
@@ -82,6 +85,10 @@
       throw new JbpmException("environment is null");
     }
     
+    ActivityImpl activity = execution.getActivity();
+    ExternalActivityBehaviour behaviour = (ExternalActivityBehaviour) activity.getActivityBehaviour();
+    behaviour.timeout(execution, signalName);
+        
     if (signalName!=null) {
       if (log.isDebugEnabled()) log.debug("feeding timer signal "+signalName+" into "+execution);
       execution.signal(signalName);
Index: modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/LifeCycleState.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/LifeCycleState.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/LifeCycleState.java	(working copy)
@@ -41,4 +41,9 @@
       Map<String, ?> parameters) throws Exception {
     execution.take(signalName);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+    // TODO: JBPM-2537
+  }
 }
Index: modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/TaskImpl.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/TaskImpl.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/task/TaskImpl.java	(working copy)
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.history.HistoryEvent;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.history.events.TaskComplete;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.history.events.TaskDelete;
+import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.history.events.TaskTimeout;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.model.ExecutionImpl;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.model.ProcessDefinitionImpl;
 import org.jbpm.pvm.internal.model.ScopeInstanceImpl;
@@ -210,6 +211,19 @@
   public void delete(String reason) {
     historyTaskDelete(reason);
   }
+  
+  public void timeout(String outcome) {
+    historyTaskTimeout(outcome);
+    
+    DbSession dbSession = EnvironmentImpl.getFromCurrent(DbSession.class, false);
+    if (dbSession != null) {
+      dbSession.delete(this);
+    }
+  }
+  
+  public void timeout() {
+    historyTaskTimeout(TaskConstants.NO_TASK_OUTCOME_SPECIFIED);
+  }
 
   // state ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
@@ -310,6 +324,12 @@
       HistoryEvent.fire(new TaskComplete(outcome), execution);
     }
   }
+  
+  public void historyTaskTimeout(String outcome) {
+    if (execution != null) {
+      HistoryEvent.fire(new TaskTimeout(outcome), execution);
+    }
+  }
 
   public void signalExecution(String signalName) {
     if (execution != null) {
Index: modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/wire/usercode/UserCodeActivityBehaviour.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/wire/usercode/UserCodeActivityBehaviour.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/main/java/org/jbpm/pvm/internal/wire/usercode/UserCodeActivityBehaviour.java	(working copy)
@@ -49,4 +49,10 @@
   public void setCustomActivityReference(UserCodeReference customActivityReference) {
     this.customActivityReference = customActivityReference;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+    ExternalActivityBehaviour externalActivityBehaviour = (ExternalActivityBehaviour) customActivityReference.getObject(execution);
+    externalActivityBehaviour.timeout(execution, signalName);
+  }
 }
Index: modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/activities/WaitState.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/activities/WaitState.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/activities/WaitState.java	(working copy)
@@ -43,4 +43,9 @@
     execution.setVariables(parameters);
     execution.take(signalName);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+    //TODO: JBPM-2537
+  }
 }
Index: modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/executionmode/embedded/WaitState.java
===================================================================
--- modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/executionmode/embedded/WaitState.java	(revision 6165)
+++ modules/pvm/src/test/java/org/jbpm/pvm/executionmode/embedded/WaitState.java	(working copy)
@@ -43,4 +43,9 @@
   public void signal(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName, Map<String, ?> parameters) throws Exception {
     execution.take(signalName);
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public void timeout(ActivityExecution execution, String signalName) throws Exception {
+    // JBPM-2537
+  }
 }
\ No newline at end of file