diff --git a/os/hal/include/hal.h b/os/hal/include/hal.h
index 913da1104..6e825471e 100644
--- a/os/hal/include/hal.h
+++ b/os/hal/include/hal.h
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "osal.h"
 #include "board.h"
 #include "halconf.h"
+#include "limited_wait.h"
 
 /* Error checks on the configuration header file.*/
 #if !defined(HAL_USE_PAL)
diff --git a/os/hal/include/limited_wait.h b/os/hal/include/limited_wait.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e66210ab2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/os/hal/include/limited_wait.h
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#pragma once
+
+// this hook allows rusEFI to fail gracefully instead of on hanging
+#ifndef LIMITED_WHILE_LOOP
+#define LIMITED_WHILE_LOOP(msg, condition) { (void)msg ; while (condition) ; }
+#endif
diff --git a/os/hal/ports/STM32/LLD/SPIv2/hal_spi_lld.c b/os/hal/ports/STM32/LLD/SPIv2/hal_spi_lld.c
index 02bc9a07b..686403b31 100644
--- a/os/hal/ports/STM32/LLD/SPIv2/hal_spi_lld.c
+++ b/os/hal/ports/STM32/LLD/SPIv2/hal_spi_lld.c
@@ -703,14 +703,12 @@ uint16_t spi_lld_polled_exchange(SPIDriver *spip, uint16_t frame) {
                                            SPI_CR2_DS_0)) {
     volatile uint8_t *spidr = (volatile uint8_t *)&spip->spi->DR;
     *spidr = (uint8_t)frame;
-    while ((spip->spi->SR & SPI_SR_RXNE) == 0)
-      ;
+    LIMITED_WHILE_LOOP("SPI_SR_RXNE",  (spip->spi->SR & SPI_SR_RXNE) == 0);
     return (uint16_t)*spidr;
   }
   else {
     spip->spi->DR = frame;
-    while ((spip->spi->SR & SPI_SR_RXNE) == 0)
-      ;
+    LIMITED_WHILE_LOOP("SPI_SR_RXNE",  (spip->spi->SR & SPI_SR_RXNE) == 0);
     return spip->spi->DR;
   }
 }