diff --git a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
index cb0407145..d2d4ecb8d 100644
--- a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
+++ b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.cpp
@@ -926,11 +926,6 @@ void DeviceHandlerBase::doTransition(Mode_t modeFrom, Submode_t subModeFrom) {
 	setMode(getBaseMode(mode));
 }
 
-uint32_t DeviceHandlerBase::getTransitionDelayMs(Mode_t modeFrom,
-		Mode_t modeTo) {
-	return 5000;
-}
-
 ReturnValue_t DeviceHandlerBase::getStateOfSwitches(void) {
 	if(powerSwitcher == nullptr) {
 		return NO_SWITCH;
diff --git a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.h b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.h
index ee4447ed1..45450f627 100644
--- a/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.h
+++ b/devicehandlers/DeviceHandlerBase.h
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ protected:
 	 * @param modeTo
 	 * @return time in ms
 	 */
-	virtual uint32_t getTransitionDelayMs(Mode_t modeFrom, Mode_t modeTo);
+	virtual uint32_t getTransitionDelayMs(Mode_t modeFrom, Mode_t modeTo) = 0;
 
 	/**
 	 * Return the switches connected to the device.