diff --git a/docs/grub.texi b/docs/grub.texi
index ba1169487..d6408d242 100644
--- a/docs/grub.texi
+++ b/docs/grub.texi
@@ -1330,12 +1330,12 @@ menu and then wait for the timeout set by @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT} to expire
 before booting the default entry.  Pressing a key interrupts the timeout.
 
 If this option is set to @samp{countdown} or @samp{hidden}, then, before
-displaying the menu, GRUB will wait for the timeout set by
-@samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT} to expire.  If @key{ESC} is pressed during that time, it
-will display the menu and wait for input.  If a hotkey associated with a
-menu entry is pressed, it will boot the associated menu entry immediately.
-If the timeout expires before either of these happens, it will boot the
-default entry.  In the @samp{countdown} case, it will show a one-line
+displaying the menu, GRUB will wait for the timeout set by @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT}
+to expire.  If @key{ESC} or @key{F4} are pressed, or @key{SHIFT} is held down
+during that time, it will display the menu and wait for input.  If a hotkey
+associated with a menu entry is pressed, it will boot the associated menu entry
+immediately. If the timeout expires before either of these happens, it will
+boot the default entry.  In the @samp{countdown} case, it will show a one-line
 indication of the remaining time.
 
 @item GRUB_DEFAULT_BUTTON
@@ -1559,16 +1559,16 @@ configurations, but have better replacements:
 
 @table @samp
 @item GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT
-Wait this many seconds before displaying the menu.  If @key{ESC} is pressed
-during that time, display the menu and wait for input according to
-@samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT}.  If a hotkey associated with a menu entry is pressed,
-boot the associated menu entry immediately.  If the timeout expires before
-either of these happens, display the menu for the number of seconds
-specified in @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT} before booting the default entry.
+Wait this many seconds before displaying the menu.  If @key{ESC} or @key{F4} are
+pressed, or @key{SHIFT} is held down during that time, display the menu and wait
+for input according to @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT}.  If a hotkey associated with a menu
+entry is pressed, boot the associated menu entry immediately.  If the timeout
+expires before either of these happens, display the menu for the number of
+seconds specified in @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT} before booting the default entry.
 
 If you set @samp{GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT}, you should also set
 @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT=0} so that the menu is not displayed at all unless
-@key{ESC} is pressed.
+@key{ESC} or @key{F4} are pressed, or @key{SHIFT} is held down.
 
 This option is unset by default, and is deprecated in favour of the less
 confusing @samp{GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=countdown} or
@@ -5162,9 +5162,10 @@ Alias for @code{hashsum --hash sha512 arg @dots{}}. See command @command{hashsum
 
 @deffn Command sleep [@option{--verbose}] [@option{--interruptible}] count
 Sleep for @var{count} seconds. If option @option{--interruptible} is given,
-allow @key{ESC} to interrupt sleep. With @option{--verbose} show countdown
-of remaining seconds. Exit code is set to 0 if timeout expired and to 1
-if timeout was interrupted by @key{ESC}.
+allow pressing @key{ESC}, @key{F4} or holding down @key{SHIFT} to interrupt
+sleep.  With @option{--verbose} show countdown of remaining seconds. Exit code
+is set to 0 if timeout expired and to 1 if timeout was interrupted using any
+of the mentioned keys.
 @end deffn
 
 
diff --git a/grub-core/commands/sleep.c b/grub-core/commands/sleep.c
index e77e7900f..a1370b710 100644
--- a/grub-core/commands/sleep.c
+++ b/grub-core/commands/sleep.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ grub_interruptible_millisleep (grub_uint32_t ms)
   start = grub_get_time_ms ();
 
   while (grub_get_time_ms () - start < ms)
-    if (grub_getkey_noblock () == GRUB_TERM_ESC)
+    if (grub_key_is_interrupt (grub_getkey_noblock ()))
       return 1;
 
   return 0;
diff --git a/grub-core/kern/term.c b/grub-core/kern/term.c
index 93bd3378d..14d596498 100644
--- a/grub-core/kern/term.c
+++ b/grub-core/kern/term.c
@@ -138,6 +138,27 @@ grub_getkeystatus (void)
   return status;
 }
 
+int
+grub_key_is_interrupt (int key)
+{
+  /*
+   * ESC sometimes is the BIOS setup hotkey and may be hard to discover, also
+   * check F4, which was chosen because is not used as a hotkey to enter the
+   * BIOS setup by any vendor.
+   */
+  if (key == GRUB_TERM_ESC || key == GRUB_TERM_KEY_F4)
+    return 1;
+
+  /*
+   * Pressing keys at the right time during boot is hard to time, also allow
+   * interrupting sleeps / the menu countdown by keeping shift pressed.
+   */
+  if (grub_getkeystatus() & (GRUB_TERM_STATUS_LSHIFT | GRUB_TERM_STATUS_RSHIFT))
+    return 1;
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
 void
 grub_refresh (void)
 {
diff --git a/grub-core/normal/menu.c b/grub-core/normal/menu.c
index da66ad891..8397886fa 100644
--- a/grub-core/normal/menu.c
+++ b/grub-core/normal/menu.c
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ run_menu (grub_menu_t menu, int nested, int *auto_boot)
 	      if (entry >= 0)
 		break;
 	    }
-	  if (key == GRUB_TERM_ESC)
+	  if (grub_key_is_interrupt (key))
 	    {
 	      timeout = -1;
 	      break;
diff --git a/include/grub/term.h b/include/grub/term.h
index 9da03dc75..3387cb052 100644
--- a/include/grub/term.h
+++ b/include/grub/term.h
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ void grub_putcode (grub_uint32_t code, struct grub_term_output *term);
 int EXPORT_FUNC(grub_getkey) (void);
 int EXPORT_FUNC(grub_getkey_noblock) (void);
 int EXPORT_FUNC(grub_getkeystatus) (void);
+int EXPORT_FUNC(grub_key_is_interrupt) (int key);
 void grub_cls (void);
 void EXPORT_FUNC(grub_refresh) (void);
 void grub_puts_terminal (const char *str, struct grub_term_output *term);