diff --git a/Lib/doctest.py b/Lib/doctest.py
--- a/Lib/doctest.py
+++ b/Lib/doctest.py
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
     'REPORT_NDIFF',
     'REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE',
     'REPORTING_FLAGS',
+    'FAIL_FAST',
     # 1. Utility Functions
     # 2. Example & DocTest
     'Example',
@@ -150,11 +151,13 @@
 REPORT_CDIFF = register_optionflag('REPORT_CDIFF')
 REPORT_NDIFF = register_optionflag('REPORT_NDIFF')
 REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE = register_optionflag('REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE')
+FAIL_FAST = register_optionflag('FAIL_FAST')
 
 REPORTING_FLAGS = (REPORT_UDIFF |
                    REPORT_CDIFF |
                    REPORT_NDIFF |
-                   REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE)
+                   REPORT_ONLY_FIRST_FAILURE |
+                   FAIL_FAST)
 
 # Special string markers for use in `want` strings:
 BLANKLINE_MARKER = '<BLANKLINE>'
@@ -1342,6 +1345,9 @@
             else:
                 assert False, ("unknown outcome", outcome)
 
+            if failures and self.optionflags & FAIL_FAST:
+                break
+
         # Restore the option flags (in case they were modified)
         self.optionflags = original_optionflags