diff --git a/cobra.go b/cobra.go
index 7010fd15b..6505c070b 100644
--- a/cobra.go
+++ b/cobra.go
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import (
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
+	"time"
 	"unicode"
 )
 
@@ -56,6 +57,12 @@ var MousetrapHelpText string = `This is a command line tool.
 You need to open cmd.exe and run it from there.
 `
 
+// MousetrapDisplayDuration controls how long the MousetrapHelpText message is displayed on Windows
+// if the CLI is started from explorer.exe. Set to 0 to wait for the return key to be pressed.
+// To disable the mousetrap, just set MousetrapHelpText to blank string ("").
+// Works only on Microsoft Windows.
+var MousetrapDisplayDuration time.Duration = 5 * time.Second
+
 // AddTemplateFunc adds a template function that's available to Usage and Help
 // template generation.
 func AddTemplateFunc(name string, tmplFunc interface{}) {
diff --git a/command_win.go b/command_win.go
index edec728e4..8768b1736 100644
--- a/command_win.go
+++ b/command_win.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 package cobra
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
@@ -14,7 +15,12 @@ var preExecHookFn = preExecHook
 func preExecHook(c *Command) {
 	if MousetrapHelpText != "" && mousetrap.StartedByExplorer() {
 		c.Print(MousetrapHelpText)
-		time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
+		if MousetrapDisplayDuration > 0 {
+			time.Sleep(MousetrapDisplayDuration)
+		} else {
+			c.Println("Press return to continue...")
+			fmt.Scanln()
+		}
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 }