diff --git a/spalloc_client/_utils.py b/spalloc_client/_utils.py
index 7ac6fab22..8c9cf802e 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/_utils.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/_utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@
 from typing import Optional
 
 
+def time_left_float(timestamp: float) -> float:
+    return max(0.0, timestamp - time.time())
+
+
 def time_left(timestamp: Optional[float]) -> Optional[float]:
     """ Convert a timestamp into how long to wait for it.
     """
diff --git a/spalloc_client/job.py b/spalloc_client/job.py
index 9ef4b1e55..164101529 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/job.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/job.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 from .protocol_client import ProtocolClient, ProtocolTimeoutError
 from .spalloc_config import SpallocConfig, SEARCH_PATH
 from .states import JobState
-from ._utils import time_left, timed_out, make_timeout
+from ._utils import time_left, time_left_float, timed_out, make_timeout
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -249,8 +249,8 @@ def __init__(self, *args: int, **kwargs: Union[float, str, None]):
         hostname = cast(str, kwargs.get("hostname", config.hostname))
         owner = kwargs.get("owner", config.owner)
         port = cast(int, kwargs.get("port", config.port))
-        self._reconnect_delay = kwargs.get("reconnect_delay",
-                                           config.reconnect_delay)
+        self._reconnect_delay = cast(float, kwargs.get("reconnect_delay",
+                                           config.reconnect_delay))
         self._timeout = cast(float, kwargs.get("timeout", config.timeout))
         if hostname is None:
             raise ValueError("A hostname must be specified.")
@@ -671,7 +671,7 @@ def _do_reconnect(self, finish_time: Optional[float]) -> None:
         """
         self._client.close()
         if finish_time is not None:
-            delay = min(time_left(finish_time), self._reconnect_delay)
+            delay = min(time_left_float(finish_time), self._reconnect_delay)
         else:
             delay = self._reconnect_delay
         time.sleep(max(0.0, delay))
diff --git a/spalloc_client/scripts/job.py b/spalloc_client/scripts/job.py
index ec80177c6..8022c17e4 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/scripts/job.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/scripts/job.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
     Terminal, render_definitions, render_boards, DEFAULT_BOARD_EDGES)
 from spalloc_client import ProtocolClient
 from spalloc_client._utils import render_timestamp
+from spalloc_client.spalloc_config import SpallocConfig
 from spalloc_client.scripts.support import Terminate, Script
 
 
@@ -340,7 +341,7 @@ def get_job_id(self, client: ProtocolClient,
         return cast(int, job_ids[0])
 
     @overrides(Script.get_parser)
-    def get_parser(self, cfg: Dict[str, str]) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
+    def get_parser(self, cfg: SpallocConfig) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
             description="Manage running jobs.")
         parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/spalloc_client/scripts/machine.py b/spalloc_client/scripts/machine.py
index 5da62d6fa..fa1deb76c 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/scripts/machine.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/scripts/machine.py
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 from spinn_utilities.typing.json import JsonObject, JsonObjectArray
 
 from spalloc_client import __version__, ProtocolClient
+from spalloc_client.spalloc_config import SpallocConfig
 from spalloc_client.term import (
     Terminal, render_table, render_definitions, render_boards, render_cells,
     DEFAULT_BOARD_EDGES, TableRow, TableType)
@@ -257,7 +258,7 @@ def get_and_display_machine_info(
             show_machine(t, machines, jobs, args.machine, not args.detailed)
 
     @overrides(Script.get_parser)
-    def get_parser(self, cfg: Dict[str, str]) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
+    def get_parser(self, cfg: SpallocConfig) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
             description="Get the state of individual machines.")
         parser.add_argument(
diff --git a/spalloc_client/scripts/ps.py b/spalloc_client/scripts/ps.py
index 7abe9f458..3cb094af6 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/scripts/ps.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/scripts/ps.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 from spinn_utilities.typing.json import JsonObjectArray
 
 from spalloc_client import __version__, JobState, ProtocolClient
+from spalloc_client.spalloc_config import SpallocConfig
 from spalloc_client.term import Terminal, render_table, TableColumn, TableType
 from spalloc_client._utils import render_timestamp
 from .support import Script
@@ -128,7 +129,7 @@ class ProcessListScript(Script):
     An object form Job scripts.
     """
     @overrides(Script.get_parser)
-    def get_parser(self, cfg: Dict[str, str]) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
+    def get_parser(self, cfg: SpallocConfig) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="List all active jobs.")
         parser.add_argument(
             "--version", "-V", action="version", version=__version__)
diff --git a/spalloc_client/scripts/where_is.py b/spalloc_client/scripts/where_is.py
index bca63567a..3c4885cf6 100644
--- a/spalloc_client/scripts/where_is.py
+++ b/spalloc_client/scripts/where_is.py
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@
 
 from spalloc_client import __version__, ProtocolClient
 from spalloc_client.term import render_definitions
-
 from spalloc_client.scripts.support import Terminate, Script
+from spalloc_client.spalloc_config import SpallocConfig
 
 
 class WhereIsScript(Script):
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.show_board_chip = False
 
     @overrides(Script.get_parser)
-    def get_parser(self, cfg: Dict[str, str]) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
+    def get_parser(self, cfg: SpallocConfig) -> argparse.ArgumentParser:
         parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
             description="Find out the location (physical or logical) of a "
                         "chip or board.")