diff --git a/src/frontend/signal_handler.c b/src/frontend/signal_handler.c
index 204d54ab6..6a53c633f 100644
--- a/src/frontend/signal_handler.c
+++ b/src/frontend/signal_handler.c
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ ft_sigintr_cleanup(void)
 RETSIGTYPE
 ft_sigintr(void)
 {
+    static int interrupt_counter = 0;
+
     /* fprintf(cp_err, "Received interrupt.  Handling it  . . . . .\n"); */
 
     /* Reinstall ft_signintr as the signal handler. */
@@ -80,9 +82,16 @@ ft_sigintr(void)
 
     if (ft_intrpt) {    /* check to see if we're being interrupted repeatedly */
         fprintf(cp_err, "\nInterrupted again (ouch)\n");
+        interrupt_counter++;
     } else {
         fprintf(cp_err, "\nInterrupted once . . .\n");
         ft_intrpt = TRUE;
+        interrupt_counter = 1;
+    }
+
+    if (interrupt_counter >= 3) {
+        fprintf(cp_err, "\nKilling, since %d interrupts have been requested\n\n", interrupt_counter);
+        controlled_exit(1);
     }
 
     if (ft_setflag) {