diff --git a/initrd/bin/gui-init b/initrd/bin/gui-init
index f6480c6e..8b904019 100755
--- a/initrd/bin/gui-init
+++ b/initrd/bin/gui-init
@@ -357,18 +357,11 @@ check_gpg_key()
 prompt_auto_default_boot()
 {
   TRACE "Under /bin/gui-init:prompt_auto_default_boot"
-  # save IFS before changing, restore after read
-  IFS_DEF=$IFS
-  IFS=''
-  first_pass=false
   echo -e "\nHOTP verification success\n\n"
-  read -t $CONFIG_AUTO_BOOT_TIMEOUT -s -n 1 -p "Automatic boot in $CONFIG_AUTO_BOOT_TIMEOUT seconds unless interrupted by keypress... "
-  if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]; then
-    IFS=$IFS_DEF
+  if pause_automatic_boot; then
     echo -e "\n\nAttempting default boot...\n\n"
     attempt_default_boot
   fi
-  IFS=$IFS_DEF
 }
 
 show_main_menu()
diff --git a/initrd/etc/gui_functions b/initrd/etc/gui_functions
index c0c40465..a2da1382 100755
--- a/initrd/etc/gui_functions
+++ b/initrd/etc/gui_functions
@@ -2,6 +2,17 @@
 # Shell functions for common operations using fbwhiptail
 . /etc/functions
 
+# Pause for the configured timeout before booting automatically.  Returns 0 to
+# continue with automatic boot, nonzero if user interrupted.
+pause_automatic_boot()
+{
+	if IFS= read -t "$CONFIG_AUTO_BOOT_TIMEOUT" -s -n 1 -p \
+		"Automatic boot in $CONFIG_AUTO_BOOT_TIMEOUT seconds unless interrupted by keypress... "; then
+		return 1 # Interrupt automatic boot
+	fi
+	return 0 # Continue with automatic boot
+}
+
 mount_usb()
 {
   TRACE "under gui_functions:mount_usb"