diff --git a/include/pocketpy/interpreter/vm.h b/include/pocketpy/interpreter/vm.h
index 92f47cec..81dee1d3 100644
--- a/include/pocketpy/interpreter/vm.h
+++ b/include/pocketpy/interpreter/vm.h
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ typedef struct VM {
     py_TValue builtins;  // builtins module
     py_TValue main;      // __main__ module
 
+    py_i64 max_steps;
+    py_i64 used_steps;
+
     py_Callbacks callbacks;
 
     py_TValue ascii_literals[128+1];
@@ -136,4 +139,4 @@ py_Type pk_code__register();
 py_TValue pk_builtins__register();
 
 /* mappingproxy */
-void pk_mappingproxy__namedict(py_Ref out, py_Ref object);
\ No newline at end of file
+void pk_mappingproxy__namedict(py_Ref out, py_Ref object);
diff --git a/include/pocketpy/pocketpy.h b/include/pocketpy/pocketpy.h
index 30561501..267675b9 100644
--- a/include/pocketpy/pocketpy.h
+++ b/include/pocketpy/pocketpy.h
@@ -735,6 +735,7 @@ enum py_PredefinedTypes {
     tp_ImportError,
     tp_AssertionError,
     tp_KeyError,
+    tp_Timeout,
     /* linalg */
     tp_vec2,
     tp_vec3,
diff --git a/src/interpreter/ceval.c b/src/interpreter/ceval.c
index 2b337614..dec2f112 100644
--- a/src/interpreter/ceval.c
+++ b/src/interpreter/ceval.c
@@ -109,6 +109,15 @@ FrameResult VM__run_top_frame(VM* self) {
             goto __ERROR;
         }
 
+        if (self->max_steps > 0) {
+          if (self->used_steps >= self->max_steps) {
+            py_exception(tp_Timeout, "execution timed out");
+            goto __ERROR;
+          }
+          self->used_steps++;
+        }
+
+
         switch((Opcode)byte.op) {
             case OP_NO_OP: DISPATCH();
             /*****************************************/
@@ -1440,4 +1449,4 @@ static bool stack_format_object(VM* self, c11_sv spec) {
 #undef POPX
 #undef SP
 #undef INSERT_THIRD
-#undef vectorcall_opcall
\ No newline at end of file
+#undef vectorcall_opcall
diff --git a/src/interpreter/vm.c b/src/interpreter/vm.c
index 3c76f9fc..1b2fe381 100644
--- a/src/interpreter/vm.c
+++ b/src/interpreter/vm.c
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ void VM__ctor(VM* self) {
     INJECT_BUILTIN_EXC(ImportError, tp_Exception);
     INJECT_BUILTIN_EXC(AssertionError, tp_Exception);
     INJECT_BUILTIN_EXC(KeyError, tp_Exception);
+    INJECT_BUILTIN_EXC(Timeout, tp_Exception);
 
 #undef INJECT_BUILTIN_EXC
 #undef validate
@@ -812,4 +813,4 @@ int py_replinput(char* buf, int max_size) {
 
     buf[size] = '\0';
     return size;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/src/public/modules.c b/src/public/modules.c
index 9adcd670..8244e7fa 100644
--- a/src/public/modules.c
+++ b/src/public/modules.c
@@ -612,6 +612,20 @@ static bool builtins_exec(int argc, py_Ref argv) {
     return ok;
 }
 
+static bool builtins_exec_jailed(int argc, py_Ref argv) {
+    VM* vm = pk_current_vm;
+    PY_CHECK_ARG_TYPE(0, tp_int);
+    int was_jailed = (vm->max_steps > 0);
+    if (!was_jailed) {
+      vm->max_steps = py_toint(py_arg(0));
+      vm->used_steps = 0;
+    }
+    bool ok = _builtins_execdyn("exec", argc - 1, argv + 1, EXEC_MODE);
+    if (!was_jailed) vm->max_steps = 0;
+    py_newnone(py_retval());
+    return ok;
+}
+
 static bool builtins_eval(int argc, py_Ref argv) {
     return _builtins_execdyn("eval", argc, argv, EVAL_MODE);
 }
@@ -755,6 +769,7 @@ py_TValue pk_builtins__register() {
     py_bindfunc(builtins, "globals", builtins_globals);
     py_bindfunc(builtins, "locals", builtins_locals);
     py_bindfunc(builtins, "exec", builtins_exec);
+    py_bindfunc(builtins, "exec_jailed", builtins_exec_jailed);
     py_bindfunc(builtins, "eval", builtins_eval);
     py_bindfunc(builtins, "compile", builtins_compile);
 
diff --git a/tests/66_eval.py b/tests/66_eval.py
index 2a51c22a..dd41905f 100644
--- a/tests/66_eval.py
+++ b/tests/66_eval.py
@@ -74,3 +74,11 @@ exec(code, {'x': 42, 'res': res})
 assert res == [42, 42]
 assert x == 33
 
+code = '''
+while True:
+  pass
+'''
+try:
+  exec_jailed(100000, code)
+except Timeout:
+  pass