diff --git a/boot/boot_serial/include/boot_serial/boot_serial.h b/boot/boot_serial/include/boot_serial/boot_serial.h
index 3393213..8c56fe7 100644
--- a/boot/boot_serial/include/boot_serial/boot_serial.h
+++ b/boot/boot_serial/include/boot_serial/boot_serial.h
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@
  */
 void boot_serial_start(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f);
 
+/**
+ * Start processing newtmgr commands for uploading image0 over serial.
+ * Assumes serial port is open and waits for download command.
+ * This function will return if there is no mcumgr command received within
+ * the given timeout. If a command is received within this timeout, the
+ * function is similar to boot_serial_start
+ */
+void boot_serial_check_start(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f, int timeout_in_ms);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial.c b/boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial.c
index 7c1d0d9..680cdf0 100644
--- a/boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial.c
+++ b/boot/boot_serial/src/boot_serial.c
@@ -93,6 +93,7 @@
 static uint32_t curr_off;
 static uint32_t img_size;
 static struct nmgr_hdr *bs_hdr;
+static bool bs_entry;
 
 static char bs_obuf[BOOT_SERIAL_OUT_MAX];
 
@@ -563,6 +564,9 @@
     } else {
         bs_rc_rsp(MGMT_ERR_ENOTSUP);
     }
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+    bs_entry = true;
+#endif
 }
 
 static void
@@ -678,25 +682,29 @@
  * Task which waits reading console, expecting to get image over
  * serial port.
  */
-void
-boot_serial_start(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f)
+static void
+boot_serial_read_console(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f,int timeout_in_ms)
 {
     int rc;
     int off;
     int dec_off = 0;
     int full_line;
     int max_input;
+    int elapsed_in_ms = 0;
 
     boot_uf = f;
     max_input = sizeof(in_buf);
 
     off = 0;
-    while (1) {
+    while (timeout_in_ms > 0 || bs_entry) {
         MCUBOOT_CPU_IDLE();
         MCUBOOT_WATCHDOG_FEED();
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+        uint32_t start = k_uptime_get_32();
+#endif
         rc = f->read(in_buf + off, sizeof(in_buf) - off, &full_line);
         if (rc <= 0 && !full_line) {
-            continue;
+            goto check_timeout;
         }
         off += rc;
         if (!full_line) {
@@ -706,7 +714,7 @@
                  */
                 off = 0;
             }
-            continue;
+            goto check_timeout;
         }
         if (in_buf[0] == SHELL_NLIP_PKT_START1 &&
           in_buf[1] == SHELL_NLIP_PKT_START2) {
@@ -722,5 +730,36 @@
             boot_serial_input(&dec_buf[2], dec_off - 2);
         }
         off = 0;
+check_timeout:
+        /* Subtract elapsed time */
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+        elapsed_in_ms = (k_uptime_get_32() - start);
+#endif
+        timeout_in_ms -= elapsed_in_ms;
     }
 }
+
+/*
+ * Task which waits reading console, expecting to get image over
+ * serial port.
+ */
+void
+boot_serial_start(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f)
+{
+    bs_entry = true;
+    boot_serial_read_console(f,0);
+}
+
+#ifdef MCUBOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+/*
+ * Task which waits reading console for a certain amount of timeout.
+ * If within this timeout no mcumgr command is received, the function is
+ * returning, else the serial boot is never exited
+ */
+void
+boot_serial_check_start(const struct boot_uart_funcs *f, int timeout_in_ms)
+{
+    bs_entry = false;
+    boot_serial_read_console(f,timeout_in_ms);
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
index 0d32431..b3a5ac7 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
+++ b/boot/zephyr/Kconfig
@@ -618,6 +618,21 @@
 	  encryption mechanism used in this case is ECIES using primitives
 	  described under "ECIES-P256 encryption" in docs/encrypted_images.md.
 
+config BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+	bool "Wait for a prescribed duration to see if DFU is invoked by receiving a mcumgr comand"
+	depends on BOOT_SERIAL_UART
+	help
+	  If y, MCUboot waits for a prescribed duration of time to allow
+	  for DFU to be invoked. The serial recovery can be entered by receiving any
+	  mcumgr command.
+
+config BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU_TIMEOUT
+	int "Duration to wait for the serial DFU timeout in ms"
+	default 500
+	depends on BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+	help
+	  timeout in ms for MCUboot to wait to allow for DFU to be invoked.
+
 endif # MCUBOOT_SERIAL
 
 config BOOT_INTR_VEC_RELOC
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
index 2539b5f..26d2bcb 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
+++ b/boot/zephyr/include/mcuboot_config/mcuboot_config.h
@@ -189,6 +189,10 @@
 #define MCUBOOT_SERIAL_DIRECT_IMAGE_UPLOAD
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+#define MCUBOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+#endif
+
 /*
  * The option enables code, currently in boot_serial, that attempts
  * to erase flash progressively, as update fragments are received,
diff --git a/boot/zephyr/main.c b/boot/zephyr/main.c
index cc726c5..cee7505 100644
--- a/boot/zephyr/main.c
+++ b/boot/zephyr/main.c
@@ -506,7 +506,28 @@
     }
 #endif
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+    /* Initialize the boot console, so we can already fill up our buffers while
+     * waiting for the boot image check to finish. This image check, can take
+     * some time, so it's better to reuse thistime to already receive the
+     * initial mcumgr command(s) into our buffers
+     */
+    rc = boot_console_init();
+    int timeout_in_ms = CONFIG_BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU_TIMEOUT;
+    uint32_t start = k_uptime_get_32();
+#endif
+
     FIH_CALL(boot_go, fih_rc, &rsp);
+
+#ifdef CONFIG_BOOT_SERIAL_WAIT_FOR_DFU
+    timeout_in_ms -= (k_uptime_get_32() - start);
+    if( timeout_in_ms <= 0 ) {
+        /* at least one check if time was expired */
+        timeout_in_ms = 1;
+    }
+   boot_serial_check_start(&boot_funcs,timeout_in_ms);
+#endif
+
     if (fih_not_eq(fih_rc, FIH_SUCCESS)) {
         BOOT_LOG_ERR("Unable to find bootable image");
         FIH_PANIC;