diff --git a/meshtastic/__main__.py b/meshtastic/__main__.py
index 4474966..ca0b73f 100644
--- a/meshtastic/__main__.py
+++ b/meshtastic/__main__.py
@@ -861,6 +861,10 @@ def onConnected(interface):
             )
             interface.getNode(args.dest, False).iface.waitForAckNak()
 
+        if args.wait_to_disconnect:
+            print(f"Waiting {args.wait_to_disconnect} seconds before disconnecting" )
+            time.sleep(int(args.wait_to_disconnect))
+
         # if the user didn't ask for serial debugging output, we might want to exit after we've done our operation
         if (not args.seriallog) and closeNow:
             interface.close()  # after running command then exit
@@ -1473,6 +1477,14 @@ def initParser():
         action="store_true",
     )
 
+    group.add_argument(
+        "--wait-to-disconnect",
+        help="How many seconds to wait before disconnecting from the device.",
+        const="5",
+        nargs="?",
+        action="store",
+    )
+
     group.add_argument(
         "--noproto",
         help="Don't start the API, just function as a dumb serial terminal.",