diff --git a/src/systemcmds/param/param.c b/src/systemcmds/param/param.c
index 984d19bd9e..d92ee88efe 100644
--- a/src/systemcmds/param/param.c
+++ b/src/systemcmds/param/param.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static void	do_load(const char* param_file_name);
 static void	do_import(const char* param_file_name);
 static void	do_show(const char* search_string);
 static void	do_show_print(void *arg, param_t param);
-static void	do_set(const char* name, const char* val);
+static void	do_set(const char* name, const char* val, bool fail_on_not_found);
 static void	do_compare(const char* name, const char* vals[], unsigned comparisons);
 static void	do_reset();
 
@@ -117,10 +117,17 @@ param_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		}
 
 		if (!strcmp(argv[1], "set")) {
-			if (argc >= 4) {
-				do_set(argv[2], argv[3]);
+			if (argc >= 5) {
+
+				/* if the fail switch is provided, fails the command if not found */
+				bool fail = !strcmp(argv[4], "fail");
+
+				do_set(argv[2], argv[3], fail);
+
+			} else if (argc >= 4) {
+				do_set(argv[2], argv[3], false);
 			} else {
-				errx(1, "not enough arguments.\nTry 'param set PARAM_NAME 3'");
+				errx(1, "not enough arguments.\nTry 'param set PARAM_NAME 3 [fail]'");
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -282,7 +289,7 @@ do_show_print(void *arg, param_t param)
 }
 
 static void
-do_set(const char* name, const char* val)
+do_set(const char* name, const char* val, bool fail_on_not_found)
 {
 	int32_t i;
 	float f;
@@ -290,8 +297,8 @@ do_set(const char* name, const char* val)
 
 	/* set nothing if parameter cannot be found */
 	if (param == PARAM_INVALID) {
-		/* param not found */
-		errx(1, "Error: Parameter %s not found.", name);
+		/* param not found - fail silenty in scripts as it prevents booting */
+		errx(((fail_on_not_found) ? 1 : 0), "Error: Parameter %s not found.", name);
 	}
 
 	printf("%c %s: ",