diff --git a/script/engine.go b/script/engine.go
index a1f2d19..bdd579a 100644
--- a/script/engine.go
+++ b/script/engine.go
@@ -86,6 +86,11 @@ type Engine struct {
 
 	// MaxRetryInterval is the maximum time to wait before retrying.
 	MaxRetryInterval time.Duration
+
+	// MaxRetries is the maximum number of times (excluding the first one) a
+	// retrying command marked with '*' is executed before giving up. If zero,
+	// the number of retries is bound only by the context.
+	MaxRetries uint
 }
 
 // NewEngine returns an Engine configured with a basic set of commands and conditions.
@@ -360,12 +365,17 @@ func (e *Engine) Execute(s *State, file string, script *bufio.Reader, log io.Wri
 				// Command wants retries. Retry the whole section
 				backoff := exponentialBackoff{max: maxRetryInterval, interval: retryInterval}
 				for err != nil {
+					if e.MaxRetries != 0 && s.RetryCount >= int(e.MaxRetries) {
+						s.RetryCount = 0
+						return lineErr(err)
+					}
+
 					retryDuration := backoff.get()
 					fmt.Fprintf(log, "(command %q failed, retrying in %s...)\n", line, retryDuration)
 					select {
 					case <-s.Context().Done():
 						s.RetryCount = 0
-						return lineErr(s.Context().Err())
+						return lineErr(err)
 					case <-time.After(retryDuration):
 					}
 					s.RetryCount++
diff --git a/script_test.go b/script_test.go
index 0838b58..d46ae51 100644
--- a/script_test.go
+++ b/script_test.go
@@ -7,8 +7,10 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/cilium/hive"
 	"github.com/cilium/hive/cell"
@@ -73,3 +75,79 @@ hive/stop
 	expected := `> hive/start.*> example1.*hello1.*> example2.*hello2.*> hive/stop`
 	require.Regexp(t, expected, strings.ReplaceAll(stdout.String(), "\n", " "))
 }
+
+func TestScriptCommandRetries(t *testing.T) {
+	var tests = []struct {
+		name         string
+		succeedAfter uint
+		cancelAfter  uint
+		maxRetries   uint
+		assert       require.ErrorAssertionFunc
+	}{
+		{
+			name:         "max two retries, succeed after two",
+			succeedAfter: 2,
+			maxRetries:   2,
+			assert:       require.NoError,
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "max two retries, succeed after three",
+			succeedAfter: 3,
+			maxRetries:   2,
+			assert: func(tt require.TestingT, err error, args ...any) {
+				require.ErrorContains(t, err, "expected to succeed after 3 times, current: 2", args...)
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			name:         "no limit, context cancellation only",
+			succeedAfter: 1000,
+			cancelAfter:  10,
+			assert: func(tt require.TestingT, err error, args ...any) {
+				require.ErrorContains(t, err, "expected to succeed after 1000 times, current: 10", args...)
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+			defer cancel()
+
+			var (
+				counter uint
+				engine  = script.Engine{
+					Cmds: map[string]script.Cmd{
+						"test": script.Command(
+							script.CmdUsage{},
+							func(s *script.State, args ...string) (script.WaitFunc, error) {
+								defer func() { counter++ }()
+
+								s.Logf("test command called %d times", counter)
+								if tt.cancelAfter != 0 && counter == tt.cancelAfter {
+									cancel()
+								}
+
+								if counter != tt.succeedAfter {
+									return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected to succeed after %d times, current: %d", tt.succeedAfter, counter)
+								}
+
+								return nil, nil
+							},
+						),
+					},
+
+					RetryInterval:    10 * time.Millisecond,
+					MaxRetryInterval: 10 * time.Millisecond,
+					MaxRetries:       tt.maxRetries,
+				}
+			)
+
+			s, err := script.NewState(ctx, t.TempDir(), nil)
+			require.NoError(t, err, "NewState")
+
+			var stdout bytes.Buffer
+			err = engine.Execute(s, "", bufio.NewReader(strings.NewReader("* test")), &stdout)
+			tt.assert(t, err)
+		})
+	}
+}