diff --git a/commands/timeout.c b/commands/timeout.c
index ef1a037..d197ced 100644
--- a/commands/timeout.c
+++ b/commands/timeout.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 	char str[2] = { };
 	const char *varname = NULL;
 
-	while((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "crsav:")) > 0) {
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "crsav:e")) > 0) {
 		switch(opt) {
 		case 'r':
 			flags |= CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_RETURN;
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@
 		case 's':
 			flags |= CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_SILENT;
 			break;
+		case 'e':
+			flags |= CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_EXTERN;
+			break;
 		case 'v':
 			varname = optarg;
 			break;
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-a", "interrupt on any key")
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-c", "interrupt on Ctrl-C")
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-r", "interrupt on RETURN")
+BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-e", "interrupt on external commands (i.e. fastboot")
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-s", "silent mode")
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_OPT("-v <VARIABLE>", "export pressed key to environment")
 BAREBOX_CMD_HELP_END
@@ -80,7 +84,7 @@
 BAREBOX_CMD_START(timeout)
 	.cmd		= do_timeout,
 	BAREBOX_CMD_DESC("wait for a specified timeout")
-	BAREBOX_CMD_OPTS("[-acrsv] SECONDS")
+	BAREBOX_CMD_OPTS("[-acrsev] SECONDS")
 	BAREBOX_CMD_GROUP(CMD_GRP_CONSOLE)
 	BAREBOX_CMD_HELP(cmd_timeout_help)
 BAREBOX_CMD_END
diff --git a/common/console_countdown.c b/common/console_countdown.c
index b2eec72..03b9b33 100644
--- a/common/console_countdown.c
+++ b/common/console_countdown.c
@@ -23,6 +23,13 @@
 #include <console_countdown.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+static bool console_countdown_timeout_abort;
+
+void console_countdown_abort(void)
+{
+	console_countdown_timeout_abort = true;
+}
+
 int console_countdown(int timeout_s, unsigned flags, char *out_key)
 {
 	uint64_t start, second;
@@ -48,6 +55,9 @@
 				goto out;
 			key = 0;
 		}
+		if ((flags & CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_EXTERN) &&
+		    console_countdown_timeout_abort)
+			goto out;
 		if (!(flags & CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_SILENT) &&
 		    is_timeout(second, SECOND)) {
 			printf("\b\b\b\b%4d", countdown--);
@@ -55,6 +65,10 @@
 		}
 	} while (!is_timeout(start, timeout_s * SECOND));
 
+	if ((flags & CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_EXTERN) &&
+	    console_countdown_timeout_abort)
+		goto out;
+
 	ret = 0;
 
  out:
@@ -62,6 +76,7 @@
 		printf("\n");
 	if (key && out_key)
 		*out_key = key;
+	console_countdown_timeout_abort = false;
 
 	return ret;
 }
diff --git a/include/console_countdown.h b/include/console_countdown.h
index cb46964..c6c2d5c 100644
--- a/include/console_countdown.h
+++ b/include/console_countdown.h
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 #define CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_ANYKEY (1 << 1)
 #define CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_RETURN (1 << 3)
 #define CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_CTRLC (1 << 4)
+#define CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_EXTERN (1 << 5)
 
 int console_countdown(int timeout_s, unsigned flags, char *out_key);
+void console_countdown_abort(void);
 
 #endif /* __CONSOLE_COUNTDOWN_H */