diff --git a/src/Apps/AmplSolver/AmplTNLP.cpp b/src/Apps/AmplSolver/AmplTNLP.cpp
index 90621f872..bc686eb24 100644
--- a/src/Apps/AmplSolver/AmplTNLP.cpp
+++ b/src/Apps/AmplSolver/AmplTNLP.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ void AmplTNLP::gutsOfConstructor(
       }
    }
 
-   if( checkinterrupt_ && !RegisterInterruptHandler(NULL, &interrupted_) )
+   if( checkinterrupt_ && !RegisterInterruptHandler(NULL, &interrupted_, 5) )
    {
       jnlst_->Printf(J_STRONGWARNING, J_MAIN, "Could not register handler for interrupt signals.\n");
    }
diff --git a/src/Common/IpUtils.cpp b/src/Common/IpUtils.cpp
index 6f50a639e..8ba03c7b7 100644
--- a/src/Common/IpUtils.cpp
+++ b/src/Common/IpUtils.cpp
@@ -194,6 +194,7 @@ Number WallclockTime()
 }
 
 static bool registered_handler = false;
+static unsigned int abortcountdown_ = std::numeric_limits<unsigned int>::max();
 static void (*handle_interrupt_)(void) = NULL;
 static bool* interrupt_flag_ = NULL;
 
@@ -210,19 +211,18 @@ static void sighandler(
    {
       (*handle_interrupt_)();
    }
+
+   if( --abortcountdown_ == 0 )
+   {
+      fputs("Ipopt sighandler: Too many interrupt signals. Forcing termination.\n", stderr);
+      exit(1);
+   }
 }
 
-/** register handler for interrupt signals
- *
- * On POSIX systems, catches SIGHUP and SIGINT signals.
- * On Windows, catches SIGTERM, SIGABRT, SIGBREAK, and SIGINT signals.
- *
- * @return whether registering the handler was successful
- * @since 3.14.17
- */
 bool RegisterInterruptHandler(
-   void (*handle_interrupt)(void),  /**< function to call when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
-   bool* interrupt_flag             /**< variable to set to true when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
+   void        (*handle_interrupt)(void),
+   bool*         interrupt_flag,
+   unsigned int  abortlimit
 )
 {
    if( registered_handler )
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ bool RegisterInterruptHandler(
       return false;
    }
    registered_handler = true;
+   abortcountdown_ = abortlimit;
 
    handle_interrupt_ = handle_interrupt;
    interrupt_flag_ = interrupt_flag;
@@ -260,11 +261,6 @@ bool RegisterInterruptHandler(
    return true;
 }
 
-/** unregister previously registered handler for interrupt signals
- *
- * @return whether registering the handler was successful
- * @since 3.14.17
- */
 bool UnregisterInterruptHandler(void)
 {
    if( !registered_handler )
diff --git a/src/Common/IpUtils.hpp b/src/Common/IpUtils.hpp
index c6684cb7f..909f93d6f 100644
--- a/src/Common/IpUtils.hpp
+++ b/src/Common/IpUtils.hpp
@@ -109,8 +109,9 @@ IPOPTLIB_EXPORT Number WallclockTime();
  * @since 3.14.17
  */
 IPOPTLIB_EXPORT bool RegisterInterruptHandler(
-   void (*handle_interrupt)(void),  /**< function to call when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
-   bool* interrupt_flag             /**< variable to set to true when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
+   void        (*handle_interrupt)(void),                              /**< function to call when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
+   bool*         interrupt_flag,                                       /**< variable to set to true when interrupted by signal, if not NULL */
+   unsigned int  abortlimit = std::numeric_limits<unsigned int>::max() /**< if interrupt signal has been send this many times, then exit(1) */
 );
 
 /** unregister previously registered handler for interrupt signals