4 files changed, 70 insertions, 29 deletions

diff --git a/sys/boot/common/boot.c b/sys/boot/common/boot.c
index ca5c15d2dd23..515d0fa1f4a0 100644
--- a/sys/boot/common/boot.c
+++ b/sys/boot/common/boot.c
@@ -166,15 +166,14 @@ autoboot(int timeout, char *prompt)
     autoboot_tried = 1;
 
     if (timeout == -1) {
+        timeout = 10;
 	/* try to get a delay from the environment */
 	if ((cp = getenv("autoboot_delay"))) {
 	    timeout = strtol(cp, &ep, 0);
 	    if (cp == ep)
-		timeout = -1;
+		timeout = 10;		/* Unparseable? Set default! */
 	}
     }
-    if (timeout == -1)		/* all else fails */
-	timeout = 10;
 
     kernelname = getenv("kernelname");
     if (kernelname == NULL) {
@@ -187,32 +186,38 @@ autoboot(int timeout, char *prompt)
 	}
     }
 
-    otime = time(NULL);
-    when = otime + timeout;	/* when to boot */
-    yes = 0;
-
-    printf("%s\n", (prompt == NULL) ? "Hit [Enter] to boot immediately, or any other key for command prompt." : prompt);
-
-    for (;;) {
-	if (ischar()) {
-	    c = getchar();
-	    if ((c == '\r') || (c == '\n'))
-		yes = 1;
-	    break;
-	}
-	ntime = time(NULL);
-	if (ntime >= when) {
-	    yes = 1;
-	    break;
-	}
-
-	if (ntime != otime) {
-	    printf("\rBooting [%s] in %d second%s... ",
-	    		kernelname, (int)(when - ntime),
-			(when-ntime)==1?"":"s");
-	    otime = ntime;
-	}
+    if (timeout >= 0) {
+        otime = time(NULL);
+        when = otime + timeout;	/* when to boot */
+
+        yes = 0;
+
+        printf("%s\n", (prompt == NULL) ? "Hit [Enter] to boot immediately, or any other key for command prompt." : prompt);
+
+        for (;;) {
+	    if (ischar()) {
+	        c = getchar();
+	        if ((c == '\r') || (c == '\n'))
+		    yes = 1;
+	        break;
+	    }
+	    ntime = time(NULL);
+	    if (ntime >= when) {
+	        yes = 1;
+	        break;
+	    }
+
+	    if (ntime != otime) {
+	        printf("\rBooting [%s] in %d second%s... ",
+	    		    kernelname, (int)(when - ntime),
+			    (when-ntime)==1?"":"s");
+	        otime = ntime;
+	    }
+        }
+    } else {
+        yes = 1;
     }
+
     if (yes)
 	printf("\rBooting [%s]...               ", kernelname);
     putchar('\n');
diff --git a/sys/boot/common/help.common b/sys/boot/common/help.common
index 02bc3769ea04..036f06b54778 100644
--- a/sys/boot/common/help.common
+++ b/sys/boot/common/help.common
@@ -133,6 +133,8 @@
 	set autoboot_delay=<value>
 
 	Sets the default delay for the autoboot command to <value> seconds.
+	Set value to -1 if you don't want to allow user to interrupt autoboot
+	process and escape to the loader prompt.
 
 ################################################################################
 # Tset Sbootfile DSet the default boot file set
diff --git a/sys/boot/common/loader.8 b/sys/boot/common/loader.8
index 67a5869b4233..b67f8bf28ec2 100644
--- a/sys/boot/common/loader.8
+++ b/sys/boot/common/loader.8
@@ -111,6 +111,21 @@ If the system gets past this point,
 will be set and
 .Nm
 will engage interactive mode.
+Please note that historically even when
+.Va autoboot_delay
+is set to
+.Dq 0
+user will be able to interrupt autoboot process by pressing some key
+on the console while kernel and modules are being loaded.  In some
+cases such behaviour may be undesirable, to prevent it set
+.Va autoboot_delay
+to
+.Dq -1 ,
+in this case
+.Nm
+will engage interactive mode only if
+.Ic autoboot
+has failed.
 .Sh BUILTIN COMMANDS
 In
 .Nm ,
@@ -329,6 +344,22 @@ will be automatically attempted after processing
 though explicit
 .Ic autoboot Ns 's
 will be processed normally, defaulting to 10 seconds delay.
+.Pp
+If set to
+.Dq 0
+no delay will inserted, but user still will be able to interrupt
+.Ic autoboot
+process and escape into the interactive mode by pressing some key
+on the console while kernel and
+modules are being loaded.
+.Pp
+If set to
+.Dq -1
+no delay will inserted and
+.Nm
+will engange interactive mode only if
+.Ic autoboot
+has failed for some reason.
 .It Va boot_askname
 Instructs the kernel to prompt the user for the name of the root device
 when the kernel is booted.
diff --git a/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf b/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf
index 44963575efe6..9b0c9cd927e5 100644
--- a/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf
+++ b/sys/boot/forth/loader.conf
@@ -42,7 +42,10 @@ loader_color="NO"		# Set this to YES to enable splash screen colors
 ###  Loader settings  ########################################
 ##############################################################
 
-#autoboot_delay="10"		# Delay in seconds before autobooting
+#autoboot_delay="10"		# Delay in seconds before autobooting,
+				# set to -1 if you don't want user to be
+				# allowed to interrupt autoboot process and
+				# escape to the loader prompt
 #beastie_disable="NO"		# Turn the beastie boot menu on and off
 #console="vidconsole"		# Set the current console
 #currdev="disk1s1a"		# Set the current device