diff --git a/base/util.jl b/base/util.jl
index c489503d40133..991a93ec4d3a2 100644
--- a/base/util.jl
+++ b/base/util.jl
@@ -278,18 +278,62 @@ end
 getpass(prompt::AbstractString) = getpass(stdin, stdout, prompt)
 
 """
-    prompt(message; default="") -> Union{String, Nothing}
+    prompt(message; default="", timeout=nothing) -> Union{String, Nothing}
 
 Displays the `message` then waits for user input. Input is terminated when a newline (\\n)
 is encountered or EOF (^D) character is entered on a blank line. If a `default` is provided
-then the user can enter just a newline character to select the `default`.
+then the user can enter just a newline character to select the `default`. A `timeout` in seconds
+greater than 0 can be provided, after which the default will be returned.
+
+For instance, the user enters a value and hits `return`:
+```julia
+julia> Base.prompt("Proceed? y/n"; default="n", timeout=5)
+Proceed? y/n [n] timeout 5 seconds: y
+"y"
+```
+
+The user hits `return` alone to select the default:
+```julia
+julia> Base.prompt("Proceed? y/n"; default="n", timeout=5)
+Proceed? y/n [n] timeout 5 seconds:
+"n"
+```
+
+The user doesn't input and hit `return` before the timeout, so default returns:
+```julia
+julia> Base.prompt("Proceed? y/n"; default="n", timeout=5)
+Proceed? y/n [n] timeout 5 seconds: timed out
+"n"
+```
 
 See also `Base.getpass` and `Base.winprompt` for secure entry of passwords.
 """
-function prompt(input::IO, output::IO, message::AbstractString; default::AbstractString="")
-    msg = !isempty(default) ? "$message [$default]: " : "$message: "
+function prompt(input::LibuvStream, output::IO, message::AbstractString; default::AbstractString="", timeout::Union{Nothing, Real} = nothing)
+    in_stat_before = input.status
+    timeout_timer = if !isnothing(timeout) && timeout > 0
+        plural = timeout == 1 ? "" : "s"
+        msg = !isempty(default) ? "$message [$default] timeout $timeout second$(plural): " : "$message: "
+        Timer(timeout) do t
+            lock(input.cond)
+            input.status = StatusEOF
+            notify(input.cond)
+            unlock(input.cond)
+        end
+    else
+        msg = !isempty(default) ? "$message [$default]: " : "$message: "
+        nothing
+    end
     print(output, msg)
     uinput = readline(input, keep=true)
+    if !isnothing(timeout_timer)
+        if isopen(timeout_timer)
+            close(timeout_timer)
+        else
+            println(output, "timed out")
+            input.status = in_stat_before
+            return default
+        end
+    end
     isempty(uinput) && return nothing  # Encountered an EOF
     uinput = chomp(uinput)
     isempty(uinput) ? default : uinput
@@ -297,7 +341,7 @@ end
 
 # allow new prompt methods to be defined if stdin has been
 # redirected to some custom stream, e.g. in IJulia.
-prompt(message::AbstractString; default::AbstractString="") = prompt(stdin, stdout, message, default=default)
+prompt(message::AbstractString; default::AbstractString="",timeout::Union{Nothing, Real} = nothing) = prompt(stdin, stdout, message, default=default, timeout=timeout)
 
 # Windows authentication prompt
 if Sys.iswindows()
diff --git a/test/misc.jl b/test/misc.jl
index 2305b78250ef2..59acfab1245d5 100644
--- a/test/misc.jl
+++ b/test/misc.jl
@@ -510,12 +510,37 @@ end
 
 # PR #28038 (prompt/getpass stream args)
 @test_throws MethodError Base.getpass(IOBuffer(), stdout, "pass")
-let buf = IOBuffer()
-    @test Base.prompt(IOBuffer("foo\nbar\n"), buf, "baz") == "foo"
-    @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz: "
-    @test Base.prompt(IOBuffer("\n"), buf, "baz", default="foobar") == "foobar"
-    @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar]: "
-    @test Base.prompt(IOBuffer("blah\n"), buf, "baz", default="foobar") == "blah"
+original_stdin = stdin
+try
+    let buf = IOBuffer()
+        (rd, wr) = redirect_stdin()
+        print(wr, "foo\nbar\n")
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz") == "foo"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz: "
+        readavailable(rd)
+        print(wr, "\n")
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar") == "foobar"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar]: "
+        print(wr, "blah\n")
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar") == "blah"
+        take!(buf)
+        # prompt timeout
+
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar", timeout = 1) == "foobar"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar] timeout 1 second: timed out\n"
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar", timeout = 2) == "foobar"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar] timeout 2 seconds: timed out\n"
+        print(wr, "foo\n")
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar", timeout = 1) == "foo"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar] timeout 1 second: "
+        print(wr, "\n")
+        @test Base.prompt(rd, buf, "baz", default="foobar", timeout = 1) == "foobar"
+        @test String(take!(buf)) == "baz [foobar] timeout 1 second: "
+    end
+catch
+    rethrow()
+finally
+    redirect_stdin(original_stdin)
 end
 
 # these tests are not in a test block so that they will compile separately