diff -Nurd u-boot-2009.03.orig//common/main.c u-boot-2009.03/common/main.c
--- u-boot-2009.03.orig//common/main.c	2010-05-25 08:10:52.000000000 +0200
+++ u-boot-2009.03/common/main.c	2010-05-25 08:16:03.000000000 +0200
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
 
 #define MAX_DELAY_STOP_STR 32
 
+/* The boot abort character '.' */
+#define BOOT_ABORT_CHAR 0x2E
+
 #if defined(CONFIG_BOOTDELAY) && (CONFIG_BOOTDELAY >= 0)
 static int abortboot(int);
 #endif
@@ -214,11 +217,18 @@
 static __inline__ int abortboot(int bootdelay)
 {
 	int abort = 0;
+	// flush 16 byte UART read fifo
+	int i;
+	for(i=0; (i<16) && tstc(); ++i)
+	{
+		int dropbyte = getc();  /* consume input        */
+		printf("drop UART byte: 0x%02X\n", dropbyte);
+	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_MENUPROMPT
 	printf(CONFIG_MENUPROMPT);
 #else
-	printf("Hit any key to stop autoboot: %2d ", bootdelay);
+	printf("Hit '%c' to stop autoboot: %2d ", BOOT_ABORT_CHAR, bootdelay);
 #endif
 
 #if defined CONFIG_ZERO_BOOTDELAY_CHECK
@@ -228,9 +238,12 @@
 	 */
 	if (bootdelay >= 0) {
 		if (tstc()) {	/* we got a key press	*/
-			(void) getc();  /* consume input	*/
-			puts ("\b\b\b 0");
-			abort = 1;	/* don't auto boot	*/
+			int currkey = getc();  /* consume input	*/
+			if(BOOT_ABORT_CHAR == currkey)
+			{
+				puts ("\b\b\b 0");
+				abort = 1;	/* don't auto boot	*/
+			}
 		}
 	}
 #endif
@@ -242,14 +255,20 @@
 		/* delay 100 * 10ms */
 		for (i=0; !abort && i<100; ++i) {
 			if (tstc()) {	/* we got a key press	*/
+# ifdef CONFIG_MENUKEY
 				abort  = 1;	/* don't auto boot	*/
 				bootdelay = 0;	/* no more delay	*/
-# ifdef CONFIG_MENUKEY
 				menukey = getc();
+				break;
 # else
-				(void) getc();  /* consume input	*/
+				int currkey = getc();  /* consume input	*/
+				if(BOOT_ABORT_CHAR == currkey)
+				{
+					abort  = 1;	/* don't auto boot	*/
+					bootdelay = 0;	/* no more delay	*/
+					break;
+				}
 # endif
-				break;
 			}
 			udelay(10000);
 		}