diff --git a/commands.go b/commands.go
index 82a0ce103d..2b0c91a586 100644
--- a/commands.go
+++ b/commands.go
@@ -223,7 +223,8 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdInfo(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string
 }
 
 func (srv *Server) CmdStop(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string) error {
-	cmd := rcli.Subcmd(stdout, "stop", "CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]", "Stop a running container")
+	cmd := rcli.Subcmd(stdout, "stop", "[OPTIONS] CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]", "Stop a running container")
+	nSeconds := cmd.Int("t", 10, "wait t seconds before killing the container")
 	if err := cmd.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -233,7 +234,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdStop(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string
 	}
 	for _, name := range cmd.Args() {
 		if container := srv.runtime.Get(name); container != nil {
-			if err := container.Stop(); err != nil {
+			if err := container.Stop(*nSeconds); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(stdout, container.ShortId())
@@ -246,6 +247,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdStop(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string
 
 func (srv *Server) CmdRestart(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...string) error {
 	cmd := rcli.Subcmd(stdout, "restart", "CONTAINER [CONTAINER...]", "Restart a running container")
+	nSeconds := cmd.Int("t", 10, "wait t seconds before killing the container")
 	if err := cmd.Parse(args); err != nil {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -255,7 +257,7 @@ func (srv *Server) CmdRestart(stdin io.ReadCloser, stdout io.Writer, args ...str
 	}
 	for _, name := range cmd.Args() {
 		if container := srv.runtime.Get(name); container != nil {
-			if err := container.Restart(); err != nil {
+			if err := container.Restart(*nSeconds); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			fmt.Fprintln(stdout, container.ShortId())
diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index 74706a4079..2bd56180a7 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ func (container *Container) Kill() error {
 	return container.kill()
 }
 
-func (container *Container) Stop() error {
+func (container *Container) Stop(seconds int) error {
 	container.State.lock()
 	defer container.State.unlock()
 	if !container.State.Running {
@@ -619,8 +619,8 @@ func (container *Container) Stop() error {
 	}
 
 	// 2. Wait for the process to exit on its own
-	if err := container.WaitTimeout(10 * time.Second); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Container %v failed to exit within 10 seconds of SIGTERM - using the force", container.Id)
+	if err := container.WaitTimeout(time.Duration(seconds) * time.Second); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Container %v failed to exit within %d seconds of SIGTERM - using the force", container.Id, seconds)
 		if err := container.kill(); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -628,8 +628,8 @@ func (container *Container) Stop() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (container *Container) Restart() error {
-	if err := container.Stop(); err != nil {
+func (container *Container) Restart(seconds int) error {
+	if err := container.Stop(seconds); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if err := container.Start(); err != nil {
diff --git a/runtime.go b/runtime.go
index 3fe07c7ea6..0955eb8703 100644
--- a/runtime.go
+++ b/runtime.go
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (runtime *Runtime) Destroy(container *Container) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Container %v not found - maybe it was already destroyed?", container.Id)
 	}
 
-	if err := container.Stop(); err != nil {
+	if err := container.Stop(10); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if mounted, err := container.Mounted(); err != nil {