diff --git a/stmhal/main.c b/stmhal/main.c
index 097b8ca853..0279e70b48 100644
--- a/stmhal/main.c
+++ b/stmhal/main.c
@@ -458,7 +458,11 @@ soft_reset:
         const char *boot_py = "boot.py";
         FRESULT res = f_stat(boot_py, NULL);
         if (res == FR_OK) {
-            if (!pyexec_file(boot_py)) {
+            int ret = pyexec_file(boot_py);
+            if (ret & PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT) {
+                goto soft_reset_exit;
+            }
+            if (!ret) {
                 flash_error(4);
             }
         }
@@ -517,7 +521,11 @@ soft_reset:
         }
         FRESULT res = f_stat(main_py, NULL);
         if (res == FR_OK) {
-            if (!pyexec_file(main_py)) {
+            int ret = pyexec_file(main_py);
+            if (ret & PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT) {
+                goto soft_reset_exit;
+            }
+            if (!ret) {
                 flash_error(3);
             }
         }
@@ -537,6 +545,8 @@ soft_reset:
         }
     }
 
+soft_reset_exit:
+
     // soft reset
 
     printf("PYB: sync filesystems\n");
diff --git a/stmhal/modpyb.c b/stmhal/modpyb.c
index 04f47f2d3e..062202aade 100644
--- a/stmhal/modpyb.c
+++ b/stmhal/modpyb.c
@@ -88,6 +88,15 @@ STATIC NORETURN mp_obj_t pyb_bootloader(void) {
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(pyb_bootloader_obj, pyb_bootloader);
 
+/// \function hard_reset()
+/// Resets the pyboard in a manner similar to pushing the external RESET
+/// button.
+STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_hard_reset(void) {
+    NVIC_SystemReset();
+    return mp_const_none;
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_0(pyb_hard_reset_obj, pyb_hard_reset);
+
 /// \function info([dump_alloc_table])
 /// Print out lots of information about the board.
 STATIC mp_obj_t pyb_info(mp_uint_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
@@ -443,6 +452,7 @@ STATIC const mp_map_elem_t pyb_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR___name__), MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_pyb) },
 
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_bootloader), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_bootloader_obj },
+    { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_hard_reset), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_hard_reset_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_info), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_info_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_unique_id), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_unique_id_obj },
     { MP_OBJ_NEW_QSTR(MP_QSTR_freq), (mp_obj_t)&pyb_freq_obj },
diff --git a/stmhal/pyexec.c b/stmhal/pyexec.c
index f458bd0ff3..c6b9b8b054 100644
--- a/stmhal/pyexec.c
+++ b/stmhal/pyexec.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ STATIC bool repl_display_debugging_info = 0;
 
 // parses, compiles and executes the code in the lexer
 // frees the lexer before returning
-bool parse_compile_execute(mp_lexer_t *lex, mp_parse_input_kind_t input_kind, bool is_repl) {
+int parse_compile_execute(mp_lexer_t *lex, mp_parse_input_kind_t input_kind, bool is_repl) {
     mp_parse_error_kind_t parse_error_kind;
     mp_parse_node_t pn = mp_parse(lex, input_kind, &parse_error_kind);
     qstr source_name = mp_lexer_source_name(lex);
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ bool parse_compile_execute(mp_lexer_t *lex, mp_parse_input_kind_t input_kind, bo
         // parse error
         mp_parse_show_exception(lex, parse_error_kind);
         mp_lexer_free(lex);
-        return false;
+        return 0;
     }
 
     mp_lexer_free(lex);
@@ -74,24 +74,35 @@ bool parse_compile_execute(mp_lexer_t *lex, mp_parse_input_kind_t input_kind, bo
 
     if (mp_obj_is_exception_instance(module_fun)) {
         mp_obj_print_exception(module_fun);
-        return false;
+        return 0;
     }
 
     nlr_buf_t nlr;
-    bool ret;
+    int ret;
     uint32_t start = HAL_GetTick();
     if (nlr_push(&nlr) == 0) {
         usb_vcp_set_interrupt_char(VCP_CHAR_CTRL_C); // allow ctrl-C to interrupt us
         mp_call_function_0(module_fun);
         usb_vcp_set_interrupt_char(VCP_CHAR_NONE); // disable interrupt
         nlr_pop();
-        ret = true;
+        ret = 1;
     } else {
         // uncaught exception
         // FIXME it could be that an interrupt happens just before we disable it here
         usb_vcp_set_interrupt_char(VCP_CHAR_NONE); // disable interrupt
+        // check for SystemExit
+        mp_obj_t exc = (mp_obj_t)nlr.ret_val;
+        if (mp_obj_is_subclass_fast(mp_obj_get_type(exc), &mp_type_SystemExit)) {
+            // None is an exit value of 0; an int is its value; anything else is 1
+            mp_obj_t exit_val = mp_obj_exception_get_value(exc);
+            mp_int_t val = 0;
+            if (exit_val != mp_const_none && !mp_obj_get_int_maybe(exit_val, &val)) {
+                val = 1;
+            }
+            return PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT | (val & 255);
+        }
         mp_obj_print_exception((mp_obj_t)nlr.ret_val);
-        ret = false;
+        ret = 0;
     }
 
     // display debugging info if wanted
@@ -160,14 +171,17 @@ raw_repl_reset:
             // exit for a soft reset
             stdout_tx_str("\r\n");
             vstr_clear(&line);
-            return 1;
+            return PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT;
         }
 
         mp_lexer_t *lex = mp_lexer_new_from_str_len(MP_QSTR__lt_stdin_gt_, line.buf, line.len, 0);
         if (lex == NULL) {
             printf("MemoryError\n");
         } else {
-            parse_compile_execute(lex, MP_PARSE_FILE_INPUT, false);
+            int ret = parse_compile_execute(lex, MP_PARSE_FILE_INPUT, false);
+            if (ret & PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT) {
+                return ret;
+            }
         }
 
         // indicate end of output with EOF character
@@ -229,7 +243,7 @@ friendly_repl_reset:
             // exit for a soft reset
             stdout_tx_str("\r\n");
             vstr_clear(&line);
-            return 1;
+            return PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT;
         } else if (vstr_len(&line) == 0) {
             continue;
         }
@@ -247,7 +261,10 @@ friendly_repl_reset:
         if (lex == NULL) {
             printf("MemoryError\n");
         } else {
-            parse_compile_execute(lex, MP_PARSE_SINGLE_INPUT, true);
+            int ret = parse_compile_execute(lex, MP_PARSE_SINGLE_INPUT, true);
+            if (ret & PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT) {
+                return ret;
+            }
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/stmhal/pyexec.h b/stmhal/pyexec.h
index ce9fe5cbc1..dec241deec 100644
--- a/stmhal/pyexec.h
+++ b/stmhal/pyexec.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ typedef enum {
 
 extern pyexec_mode_kind_t pyexec_mode_kind;
 
+#define PYEXEC_FORCED_EXIT (0x100)
+
 int pyexec_raw_repl(void);
 int pyexec_friendly_repl(void);
 bool pyexec_file(const char *filename);
diff --git a/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h b/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
index 314fceea5d..87020f4b8e 100644
--- a/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
+++ b/stmhal/qstrdefsport.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Q(help)
 Q(pyb)
 Q(unique_id)
 Q(bootloader)
+Q(hard_reset)
 Q(info)
 Q(sd_test)
 Q(present)