diff --git a/src/utilities/guard/guard.cpp b/src/utilities/guard/guard.cpp
index 2727bdf257..b8016f7b91 100644
--- a/src/utilities/guard/guard.cpp
+++ b/src/utilities/guard/guard.cpp
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ int CLIB_ROUTINE main( int argc, char **argv)
 	const TEXT* prog_name = argv[0];
 	const TEXT* pidfilename = 0;
 	int guard_exit_code = 0;
+	int timeout_term = 3;
 
 	const TEXT* const* const end = argc + argv;
 	argv++;
@@ -116,9 +117,13 @@ int CLIB_ROUTINE main( int argc, char **argv)
 			case 'P':
 				pidfilename = *argv++;
 				break;
+			case 'T':
+				timeout_term = atoi(*argv++);
+				break;
 			default:
 				fprintf(stderr,
-						"Usage: %s [-signore | -onetime | -forever (default)] [-daemon] [-pidfile filename]\n",
+						"Usage: %s [-signore | -onetime | -forever (default)] [-daemon] [-pidfile filename] "
+							"[-timeout seconds (default 3)]\n",
 						prog_name);
 				exit(-1);
 				break;
@@ -224,7 +229,7 @@ int CLIB_ROUTINE main( int argc, char **argv)
 		{
 			if (shutdown_child)
 			{
-				ret_code = UTIL_shutdown_child(child_pid, 3, 1);
+				ret_code = UTIL_shutdown_child(child_pid, timeout_term, 1);
 				if (ret_code < 0)
 				{
 					gds__log("%s: error while shutting down %s (%d)\n",