diff --git a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
index 8bbfceedfdb29ad3f77e177087fd9dbcddd79150..a8b3292d063962ec8ff15946ff87364e047ef771 100755
--- a/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
+++ b/tools/testing/ktest/ktest.pl
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ $default{"SCP_TO_TARGET"}	= "scp \$SRC_FILE \$SSH_USER\@\$MACHINE:\$DST_FILE";
 $default{"REBOOT"}		= "ssh \$SSH_USER\@\$MACHINE reboot";
 $default{"STOP_AFTER_SUCCESS"}	= 10;
 $default{"STOP_AFTER_FAILURE"}	= 60;
+$default{"STOP_TEST_AFTER"}	= 600;
 $default{"LOCALVERSION"}	= "-test";
 
 my $ktest_config;
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ my $console;
 my $success_line;
 my $stop_after_success;
 my $stop_after_failure;
+my $stop_test_after;
 my $build_target;
 my $target_image;
 my $localversion;
@@ -768,8 +770,10 @@ sub monitor {
 
     my $success_start;
     my $failure_start;
+    my $monitor_start = time;
+    my $done = 0;
 
-    for (;;) {
+    while (!$done) {
 
 	if ($booted) {
 	    $line = wait_for_input($monitor_fp, $booted_timeout);
@@ -831,6 +835,12 @@ sub monitor {
 	if ($line =~ /\n/) {
 	    $full_line = "";
 	}
+
+	if ($stop_test_after > 0 && !$booted && !$bug) {
+	    if (time - $monitor_start > $stop_test_after) {
+		$done = 1;
+	    }
+	}
     }
 
     close(DMESG);
@@ -2002,6 +2012,7 @@ for (my $i = 1; $i <= $opt{"NUM_TESTS"}; $i++) {
     $success_line = set_test_option("SUCCESS_LINE", $i);
     $stop_after_success = set_test_option("STOP_AFTER_SUCCESS", $i);
     $stop_after_failure = set_test_option("STOP_AFTER_FAILURE", $i);
+    $stop_test_after = set_test_option("STOP_TEST_AFTER", $i);
     $build_target = set_test_option("BUILD_TARGET", $i);
     $ssh_exec = set_test_option("SSH_EXEC", $i);
     $scp_to_target = set_test_option("SCP_TO_TARGET", $i);
diff --git a/tools/testing/ktest/sample.conf b/tools/testing/ktest/sample.conf
index 4c83ae77926c01e71e27b0e1b012acaa81a5ec88..4c5d6bd74a0207b50d8a74ff204270afdb60601a 100644
--- a/tools/testing/ktest/sample.conf
+++ b/tools/testing/ktest/sample.conf
@@ -306,6 +306,14 @@
 # (default 60)
 #STOP_AFTER_FAILURE = 60
 
+# In case the console constantly fills the screen, having
+# a specified time to stop the test if it never succeeds nor fails
+# is recommended.
+# Note: this is ignored if a success or failure is detected.
+# (in seconds)
+# (default 600, -1 is to never stop)
+#STOP_TEST_AFTER = 600
+
 # Stop testing if a build fails. If set, the script will end if
 # a failure is detected, otherwise it will save off the .config,
 # dmesg and bootlog in a directory called