diff --git a/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/README.md b/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/README.md
index bbe41c6a..d8a7966f 100644
--- a/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/README.md
+++ b/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/README.md
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ docker logs -f <CONTAINER_ID>
 Stop all services running in the background:
 
 ```bash
-laconic-so --stack fixturenet-optimism deploy down
+laconic-so --stack fixturenet-optimism deploy down 30
 ```
 
 Clear volumes created by this stack:
diff --git a/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/l2-only.md b/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/l2-only.md
index 72bf93cb..0396bf6a 100644
--- a/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/l2-only.md
+++ b/app/data/stacks/fixturenet-optimism/l2-only.md
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ docker logs -f <CONTAINER_ID>
 Stop all services running in the background:
 
 ```bash
-laconic-so --stack fixturenet-optimism deploy --include fixturenet-optimism down
+laconic-so --stack fixturenet-optimism deploy --include fixturenet-optimism down 30
 ```
 
 Clear volumes created by this stack:
diff --git a/app/data/stacks/mobymask-v2/README.md b/app/data/stacks/mobymask-v2/README.md
index e781af79..a123c203 100644
--- a/app/data/stacks/mobymask-v2/README.md
+++ b/app/data/stacks/mobymask-v2/README.md
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ Follow the [demo](./demo.md) to try out the MobyMask app with L2 chain
 Stop all the services running in background run:
 
 ```bash
-laconic-so --stack mobymask-v2 deploy-system down
+laconic-so --stack mobymask-v2 deploy-system down 30
 ```
 
 Clear volumes created by this stack:
diff --git a/app/deploy_system.py b/app/deploy_system.py
index 3c347fdf..35912518 100644
--- a/app/deploy_system.py
+++ b/app/deploy_system.py
@@ -74,7 +74,13 @@ def command(ctx, include, exclude, env_file, cluster, command, extra_args):
         elif command == "down":
             if verbose:
                 print("Running compose down")
-            docker.compose.down()
+
+            timeout_arg = None
+            if extra_args_list:
+                timeout_arg=extra_args_list[0]
+
+            # Specify shutdown timeout (default 10s) to give services enough time to shutdown gracefully
+            docker.compose.down(timeout=timeout_arg)
         elif command == "exec":
             if extra_args_list is None or len(extra_args_list) < 2:
                 print("Usage: exec <service> <cmd>")