diff --git a/app/test-pmd/cmdline.c b/app/test-pmd/cmdline.c
index b32dc8bfd445..fbe9ad694dee 100644
--- a/app/test-pmd/cmdline.c
+++ b/app/test-pmd/cmdline.c
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
 #include "cmdline_tm.h"
 #include "bpf_cmd.h"
 
-static struct cmdline *testpmd_cl;
 static cmdline_parse_ctx_t *main_ctx;
 static TAILQ_HEAD(, testpmd_driver_commands) driver_commands_head =
 	TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(driver_commands_head);
@@ -12921,28 +12920,19 @@ cmdline_read_from_file(const char *filename)
 void
 prompt(void)
 {
-	int ret;
+	struct cmdline *cl;
 
-	testpmd_cl = cmdline_stdin_new(main_ctx, "testpmd> ");
-	if (testpmd_cl == NULL)
+	cl = cmdline_stdin_new(main_ctx, "testpmd> ");
+	if (cl == NULL)
 		return;
 
-	ret = atexit(prompt_exit);
-	if (ret != 0)
-		fprintf(stderr, "Cannot set exit function for cmdline\n");
-
-	cmdline_interact(testpmd_cl);
-	if (ret != 0)
-		cmdline_stdin_exit(testpmd_cl);
-}
-
-void
-prompt_exit(void)
-{
-	if (testpmd_cl != NULL) {
-		cmdline_quit(testpmd_cl);
-		cmdline_stdin_exit(testpmd_cl);
+	while (f_quit == 0 && cl_quit == 0) {
+		if (cmdline_poll(cl) < 0)
+			break;
 	}
+
+	cmdline_quit(cl);
+	cmdline_stdin_exit(cl);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/app/test-pmd/testpmd.c b/app/test-pmd/testpmd.c
index 134d79a55547..d01b6105b7de 100644
--- a/app/test-pmd/testpmd.c
+++ b/app/test-pmd/testpmd.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #ifndef RTE_EXEC_ENV_WINDOWS
 #include <sys/mman.h>
+#include <sys/select.h>
 #endif
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -231,7 +232,7 @@ unsigned int xstats_display_num; /**< Size of extended statistics to show */
  * In container, it cannot terminate the process which running with 'stats-period'
  * option. Set flag to exit stats period loop after received SIGINT/SIGTERM.
  */
-static volatile uint8_t f_quit;
+volatile uint8_t f_quit;
 uint8_t cl_quit; /* Quit testpmd from cmdline. */
 
 /*
@@ -4315,13 +4316,6 @@ init_port(void)
 	memset(txring_numa, NUMA_NO_CONFIG, RTE_MAX_ETHPORTS);
 }
 
-static void
-force_quit(void)
-{
-	pmd_test_exit();
-	prompt_exit();
-}
-
 static void
 print_stats(void)
 {
@@ -4340,28 +4334,9 @@ print_stats(void)
 }
 
 static void
-signal_handler(int signum)
+signal_handler(int signum __rte_unused)
 {
-	if (signum == SIGINT || signum == SIGTERM) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "\nSignal %d received, preparing to exit...\n",
-			signum);
-#ifdef RTE_LIB_PDUMP
-		/* uninitialize packet capture framework */
-		rte_pdump_uninit();
-#endif
-#ifdef RTE_LIB_LATENCYSTATS
-		if (latencystats_enabled != 0)
-			rte_latencystats_uninit();
-#endif
-		force_quit();
-		/* Set flag to indicate the force termination. */
-		f_quit = 1;
-		/* exit with the expected status */
-#ifndef RTE_EXEC_ENV_WINDOWS
-		signal(signum, SIG_DFL);
-		kill(getpid(), signum);
-#endif
-	}
+	f_quit = 1;
 }
 
 int
@@ -4536,15 +4511,9 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
 			start_packet_forwarding(0);
 		}
 		prompt();
-		pmd_test_exit();
 	} else
 #endif
 	{
-		char c;
-		int rc;
-
-		f_quit = 0;
-
 		printf("No commandline core given, start packet forwarding\n");
 		start_packet_forwarding(tx_first);
 		if (stats_period != 0) {
@@ -4567,15 +4536,41 @@ main(int argc, char** argv)
 				prev_time = cur_time;
 				rte_delay_us_sleep(US_PER_S);
 			}
-		}
+		} else {
+			char c;
+			fd_set fds;
+
+			printf("Press enter to exit\n");
 
-		printf("Press enter to exit\n");
-		rc = read(0, &c, 1);
-		pmd_test_exit();
-		if (rc < 0)
-			return 1;
+			FD_ZERO(&fds);
+			FD_SET(0, &fds);
+
+			/* wait for signal or enter */
+			ret = select(1, &fds, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+			if (ret < 0 && errno != EINTR)
+				rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
+					 "Select failed: %s\n",
+					 strerror(errno));
+
+			/* if got enter then consume it */
+			if (ret == 1 && read(0, &c, 1) < 0)
+				rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
+					 "Read failed: %s\n",
+					 strerror(errno));
+		}
 	}
 
+	pmd_test_exit();
+
+#ifdef RTE_LIB_PDUMP
+	/* uninitialize packet capture framework */
+	rte_pdump_uninit();
+#endif
+#ifdef RTE_LIB_LATENCYSTATS
+	if (latencystats_enabled != 0)
+		rte_latencystats_uninit();
+#endif
+
 	ret = rte_eal_cleanup();
 	if (ret != 0)
 		rte_exit(EXIT_FAILURE,
diff --git a/app/test-pmd/testpmd.h b/app/test-pmd/testpmd.h
index 7d24d25970d2..022210a7a964 100644
--- a/app/test-pmd/testpmd.h
+++ b/app/test-pmd/testpmd.h
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #define RTE_PORT_HANDLING       (uint16_t)3
 
 extern uint8_t cl_quit;
+extern volatile uint8_t f_quit;
 
 /*
  * It is used to allocate the memory for hash key.
