diff --git a/doc/configuration.rst b/doc/configuration.rst
index d93e58c90..53647fbb4 100644
--- a/doc/configuration.rst
+++ b/doc/configuration.rst
@@ -3458,6 +3458,11 @@ the "shell" state:
 This command would transition from the bootloader into a Linux shell and
 activate the `ShellDriver`_.
 
+Arguments:
+  - wait_for_systemd (bool, default=True): If True, wait for all systemd services
+    to be up and running when transitioning to the "shell" state
+  - systemd_timeout (int, default=30): Timeout to wait for systemd services in seconds
+
 ShellStrategy
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 A :any:`ShellStrategy` has three states:
@@ -3504,6 +3509,11 @@ the "shell" state:
 This command would transition directly into a Linux shell and
 activate the `ShellDriver`_.
 
+Arguments:
+  - wait_for_systemd (bool, default=True): If True, wait for all systemd services
+    to be up and running when transitioning to the "shell" state
+  - systemd_timeout (int, default=30): Timeout to wait for systemd services in seconds
+
 UBootStrategy
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 A :any:`UBootStrategy` has four states:
@@ -3553,6 +3563,11 @@ the "shell" state:
 This command would transition from the bootloader into a Linux shell and
 activate the `ShellDriver`_.
 
+Arguments:
+  - wait_for_systemd (bool, default=True): If True, wait for all systemd services
+    to be up and running when transitioning to the "shell" state
+  - systemd_timeout (int, default=30): Timeout to wait for systemd services in seconds
+
 DockerStrategy
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 A :any:`DockerStrategy` has three states:
diff --git a/labgrid/strategy/bareboxstrategy.py b/labgrid/strategy/bareboxstrategy.py
index 8cae9eb6a..c2533e19d 100644
--- a/labgrid/strategy/bareboxstrategy.py
+++ b/labgrid/strategy/bareboxstrategy.py
@@ -26,6 +26,14 @@ class BareboxStrategy(Strategy):
     }
 
     status = attr.ib(default=Status.unknown)
+    wait_for_systemd = attr.ib(
+        default=True,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(bool))
+    )
+    systemd_timeout = attr.ib(
+        default=30,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(int))
+    )
 
     def __attrs_post_init__(self):
         super().__attrs_post_init__()
@@ -57,7 +65,8 @@ def transition(self, status, *, step):  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
             self.barebox.boot("")
             self.barebox.await_boot()
             self.target.activate(self.shell)
-            self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait")
+            if self.wait_for_systemd:
+                self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait", timeout=self.systemd_timeout)
         else:
             raise StrategyError(
                 f"no transition found from {self.status} to {status}"
diff --git a/labgrid/strategy/shellstrategy.py b/labgrid/strategy/shellstrategy.py
index 0f2c7ed7a..a6cf5ca81 100644
--- a/labgrid/strategy/shellstrategy.py
+++ b/labgrid/strategy/shellstrategy.py
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ class ShellStrategy(Strategy):
     }
 
     status = attr.ib(default=Status.unknown)
+    wait_for_systemd = attr.ib(
+        default=True,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(bool))
+    )
+    systemd_timeout = attr.ib(
+        default=30,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(int))
+    )
 
     def __attrs_post_init__(self):
         super().__attrs_post_init__()
@@ -47,7 +55,8 @@ def transition(self, status, *, step):  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
             self.target.activate(self.console)
             self.power.cycle()
             self.target.activate(self.shell)
-            self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait")
+            if self.wait_for_systemd:
+                self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait", timeout=self.systemd_timeout)
         else:
             raise StrategyError(
                 f"no transition found from {self.status} to {status}"
diff --git a/labgrid/strategy/ubootstrategy.py b/labgrid/strategy/ubootstrategy.py
index 8cbafc452..94cc3572d 100644
--- a/labgrid/strategy/ubootstrategy.py
+++ b/labgrid/strategy/ubootstrategy.py
@@ -25,6 +25,14 @@ class UBootStrategy(Strategy):
     }
 
     status = attr.ib(default=Status.unknown)
+    wait_for_systemd = attr.ib(
+        default=True,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(bool))
+    )
+    systemd_timeout = attr.ib(
+        default=30,
+        validator=attr.validators.optional(attr.validators.instance_of(int))
+    )
 
     def __attrs_post_init__(self):
         super().__attrs_post_init__()
@@ -54,7 +62,8 @@ def transition(self, status):
             self.uboot.boot("")
             self.uboot.await_boot()
             self.target.activate(self.shell)
-            self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait")
+            if self.wait_for_systemd:
+                self.shell.run("systemctl is-system-running --wait", timeout=self.systemd_timeout)
         else:
             raise StrategyError(f"no transition found from {self.status} to {status}")
         self.status = status