diff --git a/labgrid/driver/consoleexpectmixin.py b/labgrid/driver/consoleexpectmixin.py
index 7cdc0c0ce..536b12227 100644
--- a/labgrid/driver/consoleexpectmixin.py
+++ b/labgrid/driver/consoleexpectmixin.py
@@ -20,10 +20,14 @@ def __attrs_post_init__(self):
 
     @Driver.check_active
     @step(result=True, tag='console')
-    def read(self, size=1, timeout=0.0):
-        res = self._read(size=size, timeout=timeout)
-        self.logger.debug("Read %i bytes: %s, timeout %.2f, requested size %i",
-                          len(res), res, timeout, size)
+    def read(self, size=1, timeout=0.0, max_size=None):
+        res = self._read(size=size, timeout=timeout, max_size=max_size)
+        if max_size:
+            self.logger.debug("Read %i bytes: %s, timeout %.2f, requested size %i, max size %i",
+                              len(res), res, timeout, size, max_size)
+        else:
+            self.logger.debug("Read %i bytes: %s, timeout %.2f, requested size %i",
+                              len(res), res, timeout, size)
         return res
 
     @Driver.check_active
diff --git a/labgrid/driver/externalconsoledriver.py b/labgrid/driver/externalconsoledriver.py
index 1177e2244..ad9619fed 100644
--- a/labgrid/driver/externalconsoledriver.py
+++ b/labgrid/driver/externalconsoledriver.py
@@ -70,17 +70,23 @@ def close(self):
         self._child = None
         self.status = 0
 
-    def _read(self, size: int = 1024, timeout: int = 0):
+    def _read(self, size: int = 1024, timeout: int = 0, max_size: int = None):
         """
         Reads 'size' bytes from the serialport
 
         Keyword Arguments:
         size -- amount of bytes to read, defaults to 1024
+        max_size -- maximal amount of bytes to read
         """
+        if max_size:
+            read_size = min(size, max_size)
+        else:
+            read_size = size
+
         if self._child.poll() is not None:
             raise ExecutionError("child has vanished")
         if self._poll.poll(timeout):
-            return self._child.stdout.read(size)
+            return self._child.stdout.read(read_size)
 
         return b''
 
diff --git a/labgrid/driver/serialdriver.py b/labgrid/driver/serialdriver.py
index 9f3f45d4a..7f3360db8 100644
--- a/labgrid/driver/serialdriver.py
+++ b/labgrid/driver/serialdriver.py
@@ -83,14 +83,19 @@ def get_export_vars(self):
             vars["protocol"] = self.port.protocol
         return vars
 
-    def _read(self, size: int = 1, timeout: float = 0.0):
+    def _read(self, size: int = 1, timeout: float = 0.0, max_size: int = None):
         """
         Reads 'size' or more bytes from the serialport
 
         Keyword Arguments:
         size -- amount of bytes to read, defaults to 1
+        max_size -- maximal amount of bytes to read, values 'None' or '0' do not restrict the read
+                    length, defaults to None
+        if size == max_size: read and return exactly size = max_size bytes
         """
         reading = max(size, self.serial.in_waiting)
+        if max_size:  # limit reading to max_size if provided
+            reading = min(reading, max_size)
         self.serial.timeout = timeout
         res = self.serial.read(reading)
         if not res:
diff --git a/tests/test_externalconsoledriver.py b/tests/test_externalconsoledriver.py
index 4878ed60d..e67ce0e76 100644
--- a/tests/test_externalconsoledriver.py
+++ b/tests/test_externalconsoledriver.py
@@ -14,5 +14,8 @@ def test_communicate(self, target):
         target.activate(d)
         d.write(data)
         time.sleep(0.1)
-        assert d.read(1024) == data
+        assert d.read(1024) == data  # assert written data is read
+        d.write(data)
+        time.sleep(0.1)
+        assert d.read(5, max_size=5) == data[:5]  # assert max_size limits read bytes
         d.close()
diff --git a/tests/test_serialdriver.py b/tests/test_serialdriver.py
index c5ee88773..d9b7d0387 100644
--- a/tests/test_serialdriver.py
+++ b/tests/test_serialdriver.py
@@ -23,14 +23,18 @@ def test_write(self, target, serial_port, mocker):
         serial_mock.return_value.open.assert_called_once_with()
         serial_mock.return_value.write.assert_called_once_with(b"testdata")
 
-    def test_read(self, target, serial_port, mocker):
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("param", [[1, 1, None, 1],  # old test case
+                                       [3, 2, None, 3], [3, 2, 5, 3], [3, 2, 1, 1], [1, 2, 1, 1]])
+    # param = [size, in_waiting, max_size, out]
+    def test_read(self, target, serial_port, mocker, param):
         serial_mock = mocker.patch('serial.Serial')
-        serial_mock.return_value.in_waiting = 0
+        serial_mock.return_value.in_waiting = param[1]
         s = SerialDriver(target, "serial")
         target.activate(s)
-        s.read()
+        s.read(size=param[0], max_size=param[2])
         serial_mock.return_value.open.assert_called_once_with()
-        serial_mock.return_value.read.assert_called_once_with(1)
+        # assert 'read' called once with correct return:
+        serial_mock.return_value.read.assert_called_once_with(param[3])
 
     def test_close(self, target, serial_port, mocker):
         serial_mock = mocker.patch('serial.Serial')