diff --git a/doc/openocd.texi b/doc/openocd.texi
index 0fef9fbb4..4ce61871b 100644
--- a/doc/openocd.texi
+++ b/doc/openocd.texi
@@ -4126,6 +4126,10 @@ The value should normally correspond to a static mapping for the
 @option{FreeRTOS}|@option{linux}|@option{ChibiOS}|@option{embKernel}|@option{mqx}
 @xref{gdbrtossupport,,RTOS Support}.
 
+@item @code{-defer-examine} -- skip target examination at initial JTAG chain
+scan and after a reset. A manual call to arp_examine is required to
+access the target for debugging.
+
 @end itemize
 @end deffn
 
@@ -4162,7 +4166,7 @@ omap3530.cpu  mww 0x5555 123
 
 The commands supported by OpenOCD target objects are:
 
-@deffn Command {$target_name arp_examine}
+@deffn Command {$target_name arp_examine} @option{allow-defer}
 @deffnx Command {$target_name arp_halt}
 @deffnx Command {$target_name arp_poll}
 @deffnx Command {$target_name arp_reset}
diff --git a/src/rtos/rtos.c b/src/rtos/rtos.c
index 448c49c06..aa8efbe72 100644
--- a/src/rtos/rtos.c
+++ b/src/rtos/rtos.c
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ int rtos_create(Jim_GetOptInfo *goi, struct target *target)
 	int x;
 	const char *cp;
 	struct Jim_Obj *res;
+	int e;
 
 	if (!goi->isconfigure && goi->argc != 0) {
 		Jim_WrongNumArgs(goi->interp, goi->argc, goi->argv, "NO PARAMS");
@@ -112,7 +113,9 @@ int rtos_create(Jim_GetOptInfo *goi, struct target *target)
 
 	os_free(target);
 
-	Jim_GetOpt_String(goi, &cp, NULL);
+	e = Jim_GetOpt_String(goi, &cp, NULL);
+	if (e != JIM_OK)
+		return e;
 
 	if (0 == strcmp(cp, "auto")) {
 		/* Auto detect tries to look up all symbols for each RTOS,
diff --git a/src/target/startup.tcl b/src/target/startup.tcl
index cf2813ba8..9bbc6e32c 100644
--- a/src/target/startup.tcl
+++ b/src/target/startup.tcl
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ proc ocd_process_reset_inner { MODE } {
 	foreach t $targets {
 		if {![using_jtag] || [jtag tapisenabled [$t cget -chain-position]]} {
 			$t invoke-event examine-start
-			set err [catch "$t arp_examine"]
+			set err [catch "$t arp_examine allow-defer"]
 			if { $err == 0 } {
 				$t invoke-event examine-end
 			}
@@ -111,6 +111,12 @@ proc ocd_process_reset_inner { MODE } {
 				continue
 			}
 
+			# don't wait for targets where examination is deferred
+			# they can not be halted anyway at this point
+			if { ![$t was_examined] && [$t examine_deferred] } {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			# Wait upto 1 second for target to halt.  Why 1sec? Cause
 			# the JTAG tap reset signal might be hooked to a slow
 			# resistor/capacitor circuit - and it might take a while
@@ -135,6 +141,12 @@ proc ocd_process_reset_inner { MODE } {
 				continue
 			}
 
+			# don't wait for targets where examination is deferred
+			# they can not be halted anyway at this point
+			if { ![$t was_examined] && [$t examine_deferred] } {
+				continue
+			}
+
 			set err [catch "$t arp_waitstate halted 5000"]
 			# Did it halt?
 			if { $err == 0 } {
diff --git a/src/target/target.c b/src/target/target.c
index c23590e59..4c5ddd3e0 100644
--- a/src/target/target.c
+++ b/src/target/target.c
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ const char *target_state_name(struct target *t)
 		LOG_ERROR("Invalid target state: %d", (int)(t->state));
 		cp = "(*BUG*unknown*BUG*)";
 	}
+
+	if (!target_was_examined(t) && t->defer_examine)
+		cp = "examine deferred";
+
 	return cp;
 }
 
@@ -731,6 +735,9 @@ int target_examine(void)
 			continue;
 		}
 
+		if (target->defer_examine)
+			continue;
+
 		retval = target_examine_one(target);
 		if (retval != ERROR_OK)
 			return retval;
@@ -4325,6 +4332,7 @@ enum target_cfg_param {
 	TCFG_CHAIN_POSITION,
 	TCFG_DBGBASE,
 	TCFG_RTOS,
+	TCFG_DEFER_EXAMINE,
 };
 
 static Jim_Nvp nvp_config_opts[] = {
@@ -4339,6 +4347,7 @@ static Jim_Nvp nvp_config_opts[] = {
 	{ .name = "-chain-position",   .value = TCFG_CHAIN_POSITION },
 	{ .name = "-dbgbase",          .value = TCFG_DBGBASE },
 	{ .name = "-rtos",             .value = TCFG_RTOS },
+	{ .name = "-defer-examine",    .value = TCFG_DEFER_EXAMINE },
 	{ .name = NULL, .value = -1 }
 };
 
@@ -4613,6 +4622,13 @@ no_params:
 			}
 			/* loop for more */
 			break;
+
+		case TCFG_DEFER_EXAMINE:
+			/* DEFER_EXAMINE */
+			target->defer_examine = true;
+			/* loop for more */
+			break;
+
 		}
 	} /* while (goi->argc) */
 
@@ -4627,12 +4643,9 @@ static int jim_target_configure(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj * const *a
 
 	Jim_GetOpt_Setup(&goi, interp, argc - 1, argv + 1);
 	goi.isconfigure = !strcmp(Jim_GetString(argv[0], NULL), "configure");
-	int need_args = 1 + goi.isconfigure;
-	if (goi.argc < need_args) {
+	if (goi.argc < 1) {
 		Jim_WrongNumArgs(goi.interp, goi.argc, goi.argv,
-			goi.isconfigure
-				? "missing: -option VALUE ..."
-				: "missing: -option ...");
+				 "missing: -option ...");
 		return JIM_ERR;
 	}
 	struct target *target = Jim_CmdPrivData(goi.interp);
@@ -4883,20 +4896,58 @@ static int jim_target_tap_disabled(Jim_Interp *interp)
 
 static int jim_target_examine(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj *const *argv)
 {
-	if (argc != 1) {
-		Jim_WrongNumArgs(interp, 1, argv, "[no parameters]");
+	bool allow_defer = false;
+
+	Jim_GetOptInfo goi;
+	Jim_GetOpt_Setup(&goi, interp, argc - 1, argv + 1);
+	if (goi.argc > 1) {
+		const char *cmd_name = Jim_GetString(argv[0], NULL);
+		Jim_SetResultFormatted(goi.interp,
+				"usage: %s ['allow-defer']", cmd_name);
 		return JIM_ERR;
 	}
+	if (goi.argc > 0 &&
+	    strcmp(Jim_GetString(argv[1], NULL), "allow-defer") == 0) {
+		/* consume it */
+		struct Jim_Obj *obj;
+		int e = Jim_GetOpt_Obj(&goi, &obj);
+		if (e != JIM_OK)
+			return e;
+		allow_defer = true;
+	}
+
 	struct target *target = Jim_CmdPrivData(interp);
 	if (!target->tap->enabled)
 		return jim_target_tap_disabled(interp);
 
+	if (allow_defer && target->defer_examine) {
+		LOG_INFO("Deferring arp_examine of %s", target_name(target));
+		LOG_INFO("Use arp_examine command to examine it manually!");
+		return JIM_OK;
+	}
+
 	int e = target->type->examine(target);
 	if (e != ERROR_OK)
 		return JIM_ERR;
 	return JIM_OK;
 }
 
+static int jim_target_was_examined(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj * const *argv)
+{
+	struct target *target = Jim_CmdPrivData(interp);
+
+	Jim_SetResultBool(interp, target_was_examined(target));
+	return JIM_OK;
+}
+
+static int jim_target_examine_deferred(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj * const *argv)
+{
+	struct target *target = Jim_CmdPrivData(interp);
+
+	Jim_SetResultBool(interp, target->defer_examine);
+	return JIM_OK;
+}
+
 static int jim_target_halt_gdb(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj *const *argv)
 {
 	if (argc != 1) {
@@ -4964,6 +5015,10 @@ static int jim_target_reset(Jim_Interp *interp, int argc, Jim_Obj *const *argv)
 				target_name(target));
 		return JIM_ERR;
 	}
+
+	if (target->defer_examine)
+		target_reset_examined(target);
+
 	/* determine if we should halt or not. */
 	target->reset_halt = !!a;
 	/* When this happens - all workareas are invalid. */
@@ -5174,6 +5229,21 @@ static const struct command_registration target_instance_command_handlers[] = {
 		.mode = COMMAND_EXEC,
 		.jim_handler = jim_target_examine,
 		.help = "used internally for reset processing",
+		.usage = "arp_examine ['allow-defer']",
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "was_examined",
+		.mode = COMMAND_EXEC,
+		.jim_handler = jim_target_was_examined,
+		.help = "used internally for reset processing",
+		.usage = "was_examined",
+	},
+	{
+		.name = "examine_deferred",
+		.mode = COMMAND_EXEC,
+		.jim_handler = jim_target_examine_deferred,
+		.help = "used internally for reset processing",
+		.usage = "examine_deferred",
 	},
 	{
 		.name = "arp_halt_gdb",
diff --git a/src/target/target.h b/src/target/target.h
index 8f6a7d901..7f6ac1485 100644
--- a/src/target/target.h
+++ b/src/target/target.h
@@ -130,6 +130,9 @@ struct target {
 	struct jtag_tap *tap;				/* where on the jtag chain is this */
 	int32_t coreid;						/* which device on the TAP? */
 
+	/** Should we defer examine to later */
+	bool defer_examine;
+
 	/**
 	 * Indicates whether this target has been examined.
 	 *