diff --git a/meta/lib/patchtest/patchtest_parser.py b/meta/lib/patchtest/patchtest_parser.py
index 2a11cb76c2..69bcb4b8e5 100644
--- a/meta/lib/patchtest/patchtest_parser.py
+++ b/meta/lib/patchtest/patchtest_parser.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class PatchtestParser(object):
                             help='The patch to be tested')
 
         target_patch_group.add_argument('--directory', metavar='DIRECTORY', dest='patch_path',
-                            help='The directory containing patches to be tested')
+                            help='The directory containing patches to be tested. CTRL+C aborts the entire directory test.')
 
         parser.add_argument('--repodir', metavar='REPO',
                             default=default_repodir,
diff --git a/meta/lib/patchtest/repo.py b/meta/lib/patchtest/repo.py
index 6a7d7d2d3b..b4cf9e8ded 100644
--- a/meta/lib/patchtest/repo.py
+++ b/meta/lib/patchtest/repo.py
@@ -85,6 +85,10 @@ class PatchTestRepo(object):
             self._patchmerged = True
 
     def clean(self):
+        try:
+            self.repo.git.execute(['git', 'am', '--abort'])
+        except git.exc.GitCommandError:
+            pass
         self.repo.git.execute(['git', 'checkout', self.current_branch if self.current_branch else self.current_commit])
         self.repo.git.execute(['git', 'branch', '-D', self._workingbranch])
         self._patchmerged = False
diff --git a/scripts/patchtest b/scripts/patchtest
index e8ace03905..435610b54f 100755
--- a/scripts/patchtest
+++ b/scripts/patchtest
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import json
 import logging
 import os
+import signal
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import traceback
@@ -133,8 +134,6 @@ def _runner(resultklass, prefix=None):
 
 def run(patch, logfile=None):
     """ Load, setup and run pre and post-merge tests """
-    unittest.installHandler()
-
     premerge_result = _runner(make_result_class(patch, False, logfile), 'pretest')
     postmerge_result = _runner(make_result_class(patch, True, logfile), 'test')
 
@@ -183,10 +182,26 @@ def main():
     else:
         patch_list = [patch_path]
 
+    interrupted = False
+    previous_sigint = signal.getsignal(signal.SIGINT)
+
+    def _sigint_handler(signum, frame):
+        nonlocal interrupted
+        interrupted = True
+        # Restore previous handler so a second CTRL+C exits immediately
+        signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, previous_sigint)
+        signal.default_int_handler(signum, frame)
+
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, _sigint_handler)
+
     ret = 0
     for patch in patch_list:
+        if interrupted:
+            break
+
         if os.path.getsize(patch) == 0:
             logger.error('patchtest: patch is empty')
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, previous_sigint)
             return 1
 
         logger.info('Testing patch %s' % patch)
@@ -197,8 +212,18 @@ def main():
             with open(log_path, "a") as f:
                 f.write("Patchtest results for patch '%s':\n\n" % patch)
 
-        ret = run(patch, log_path)
+        try:
+            result = run(patch, log_path)
+            ret = ret or result
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            interrupted = True
+
+        if interrupted:
+            logger.error('\npatchtest: interrupted')
+            signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, previous_sigint)
+            return 1
 
+    signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, previous_sigint)
     return ret
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':