diff --git a/nordicsemi/__main__.py b/nordicsemi/__main__.py
index fbcca35..5735032 100755
--- a/nordicsemi/__main__.py
+++ b/nordicsemi/__main__.py
@@ -936,6 +936,11 @@ def do_serial(package, port, connect_delay, flow_control, packet_receipt_notific
         port = device.get_first_available_com_port()
         logger.info("Resolved serial number {} to port {}".format(serial_number, port))
 
+    if timeout is None:
+        timeout = DfuTransportSerial.DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
+    if serial_timeout is None:
+        serial_timeout = DfuTransportSerial.DEFAULT_SERIAL_PORT_TIMEOUT
+
     logger.info("Using board at serial port: {}".format(port))
     serial_backend = DfuTransportSerial(com_port=str(port), baud_rate=baud_rate,
                     flow_control=flow_control, prn=packet_receipt_notification, do_ping=ping)
@@ -1017,7 +1022,16 @@ def usb_serial(package, port, connect_delay, flow_control, packet_receipt_notifi
               help='Serial number of the device. Ignored if --port is set.',
               type=click.STRING,
               required=False)
-def serial(package, port, connect_delay, flow_control, packet_receipt_notification, baud_rate, serial_number):
+@click.option('-t', '--timeout',
+              help='Set the timeout in seconds for board to respond (default: 30 seconds)',
+              type=click.INT,
+              required=False)
+@click.option('-st', '--serial-timeout',
+              help='Set the timeout in seconds for the serial line (default: 1 second)',
+              type=click.FLOAT,
+              required=False)
+def serial(package, port, connect_delay, flow_control, packet_receipt_notification, baud_rate, serial_number,
+           timeout, serial_timeout):
     """Perform a Device Firmware Update on a device with a bootloader that supports UART serial DFU."""
 
     do_serial(package, port, connect_delay, flow_control, packet_receipt_notification, baud_rate, serial_number, True)
diff --git a/nordicsemi/dfu/dfu_transport_serial.py b/nordicsemi/dfu/dfu_transport_serial.py
index ef1f625..fe27784 100644
--- a/nordicsemi/dfu/dfu_transport_serial.py
+++ b/nordicsemi/dfu/dfu_transport_serial.py
@@ -149,6 +149,7 @@ class DfuTransportSerial(DfuTransport):
 
     DEFAULT_BAUD_RATE = 115200
     DEFAULT_FLOW_CONTROL = True
+    DEFAULT_TIMEOUT = 30.0  # Timeout time for board response
     DEFAULT_SERIAL_PORT_TIMEOUT = 1.0  # Timeout time on serial port read
     DEFAULT_PRN                 = 0
     DEFAULT_DO_PING = True
@@ -170,7 +171,8 @@ def __init__(self,
                  com_port,
                  baud_rate=DEFAULT_BAUD_RATE,
                  flow_control=DEFAULT_FLOW_CONTROL,
-                 timeout=DEFAULT_SERIAL_PORT_TIMEOUT,
+                 timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT,
+                 serial_timeout=DEFAULT_SERIAL_PORT_TIMEOUT,
                  prn=DEFAULT_PRN,
                  do_ping=DEFAULT_DO_PING):
 
@@ -179,6 +181,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.baud_rate = baud_rate
         self.flow_control = 1 if flow_control else 0
         self.timeout = timeout
+        self.serial_timeout = serial_timeout
         self.prn         = prn
         self.serial_port = None
         self.dfu_adapter = None
@@ -195,7 +198,7 @@ def open(self):
         try:
             self.__ensure_bootloader()
             self.serial_port = Serial(port=self.com_port,
-                baudrate=self.baud_rate, rtscts=self.flow_control, timeout=self.timeout)
+                baudrate=self.baud_rate, rtscts=self.flow_control, timeout=self.serial_timeout)
             self.dfu_adapter = DFUAdapter(self.serial_port)
         except Exception as e:
             raise NordicSemiException("Serial port could not be opened on {0}"
@@ -204,10 +207,10 @@ def open(self):
         if self.do_ping:
             ping_success = False
             start = datetime.now()
-            while datetime.now() - start < timedelta(seconds=self.timeout):
+            while (datetime.now() - start < timedelta(seconds=self.timeout)
+                    and ping_success == False):
                 if self.__ping() == True:
                     ping_success = True
-                time.sleep(1)
 
             if ping_success == False:
                 raise NordicSemiException("No ping response after opening COM port")