diff --git a/nixos/modules/module-list.nix b/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
index cf82e5035d9a..c9b91acde71e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/module-list.nix
@@ -371,6 +371,7 @@
   ./system/boot/kernel.nix
   ./system/boot/kexec.nix
   ./system/boot/loader/efi.nix
+  ./system/boot/loader/loader.nix
   ./system/boot/loader/generations-dir/generations-dir.nix
   ./system/boot/loader/grub/grub.nix
   ./system/boot/loader/grub/ipxe.nix
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/grub/grub.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/grub/grub.nix
index 3ea00e40c3b3..b16a725aba8e 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/grub/grub.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/grub/grub.nix
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ in
       };
 
       timeout = mkOption {
-        default = 5;
+        default = if (config.boot.loader.timeout != null) then config.boot.loader.timeout else -1;
         type = types.int;
         description = ''
           Timeout (in seconds) until GRUB boots the default menu item.
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/gummiboot/gummiboot.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/gummiboot/gummiboot.nix
index 003f72b37f9e..b1ecbb8141fc 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/gummiboot/gummiboot.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/gummiboot/gummiboot.nix
@@ -31,7 +31,9 @@ in {
     };
 
     timeout = mkOption {
-      default = null;
+      default = if (config.boot.loader.timeout != null) then
+        (if (config.boot.loader.timeout == 0) then null else config.boot.loader.timeout)
+        else config.boot.loader.timeout;
 
       example = 4;
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/loader.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/loader.nix
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..28cceafea7ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/loader/loader.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{ config, lib, pkgs, ... }:
+
+with lib;
+
+{
+    options = {
+        boot.loader.timeout =  mkOption {
+            default = 5;
+            type = types.nullOr types.int;
+            description = ''
+              Timeout (in seconds) until loader boots the default menu item. Use null if the loader menu should be displayed indefinitely.
+            '';
+        };
+    };
+}
\ No newline at end of file