diff --git a/os/various/shell.c b/os/various/shell.c
index ceb4342db..5315fe68a 100644
--- a/os/various/shell.c
+++ b/os/various/shell.c
@@ -135,10 +135,11 @@ static bool_t cmdexec(const ShellCommand *scp, BaseSequentialStream *chp,
  * @return              Termination reason.
  * @retval RDY_OK       terminated by command.
  * @retval RDY_RESET    terminated by reset condition on the I/O channel.
+ *
+ * @notapi
  */
 static msg_t shell_thread(void *p) {
   int n;
-  msg_t msg = RDY_OK;
   BaseSequentialStream *chp = ((ShellConfig *)p)->sc_channel;
   const ShellCommand *scp = ((ShellConfig *)p)->sc_commands;
   char *lp, *cmd, *tokp, line[SHELL_MAX_LINE_LENGTH];
@@ -190,20 +191,37 @@ static msg_t shell_thread(void *p) {
       }
     }
   }
+  shellExit(RDY_OK);
+  /* Never executed, silencing a warning.*/
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Shell manager initialization.
+ *
+ * @api
+ */
+void shellInit(void) {
+
+  chEvtInit(&shell_terminated);
+}
+
+/**
+ * @brief   Terminates the shell.
+ * @note    Must be invoked from the command handlers.
+ * @note    Does not return.
+ *
+ * @param[in] msg       shell exit code
+ *
+ * @api
+ */
+void shellExit(msg_t msg) {
+
   /* Atomically broadcasting the event source and terminating the thread,
      there is not a chSysUnlock() because the thread terminates upon return.*/
   chSysLock();
   chEvtBroadcastI(&shell_terminated);
   chThdExitS(msg);
-  return 0; /* Never executed.*/
-}
-
-/**
- * @brief   Shell manager initialization.
- */
-void shellInit(void) {
-
-  chEvtInit(&shell_terminated);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -215,6 +233,8 @@ void shellInit(void) {
  * @param[in] prio      priority level for the new shell
  * @return              A pointer to the shell thread.
  * @retval NULL         thread creation failed because memory allocation.
+ *
+ * @api
  */
 #if CH_USE_HEAP && CH_USE_DYNAMIC
 Thread *shellCreate(const ShellConfig *scp, size_t size, tprio_t prio) {
@@ -247,6 +267,8 @@ Thread *shellCreateStatic(const ShellConfig *scp, void *wsp,
  * @return              The operation status.
  * @retval TRUE         the channel was reset or CTRL-D pressed.
  * @retval FALSE        operation successful.
+ *
+ * @api
  */
 bool_t shellGetLine(BaseSequentialStream *chp, char *line, unsigned size) {
   char *p = line;
diff --git a/os/various/shell.h b/os/various/shell.h
index 384a6a200..ef2676a74 100644
--- a/os/various/shell.h
+++ b/os/various/shell.h
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ extern EventSource shell_terminated;
 extern "C" {
 #endif
   void shellInit(void);
+  void shellExit(msg_t msg);
   Thread *shellCreate(const ShellConfig *scp, size_t size, tprio_t prio);
   Thread *shellCreateStatic(const ShellConfig *scp, void *wsp,
                             size_t size, tprio_t prio);
diff --git a/readme.txt b/readme.txt
index 66d242c99..140faa831 100644
--- a/readme.txt
+++ b/readme.txt
@@ -116,6 +116,8 @@
   (backported to 2.6.0).
 - FIX: Fixed MS2ST() and US2ST() macros error (bug #415)(backported to 2.6.0,
   2.4.4, 2.2.10, NilRTOS).
+- NEW: Added a new function shellExit() to the shell. It allows to exit the
+  shell from any command handler.
 - NEW: Added support for STM32F401/STM32F42x/STM32F43x devices.
 - NEW: Added support for STM32F0xx platform in RTCv2 driver.
 - NEW: Improvements to the STM32F4xx backup domain initialization.