diff --git a/apps/btshell/src/btshell.h b/apps/btshell/src/btshell.h
index 83dadede5a..f823862a86 100644
--- a/apps/btshell/src/btshell.h
+++ b/apps/btshell/src/btshell.h
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ struct btshell_scan_opts {
     uint16_t limit;
     uint8_t ignore_legacy:1;
     uint8_t periodic_only:1;
+    uint8_t silent:1;
     uint8_t name_filter_len;
     char name_filter[NAME_FILTER_LEN_MAX];
 };
diff --git a/apps/btshell/src/cmd.c b/apps/btshell/src/cmd.c
index ee28b57ae6..3f8ad5a412 100644
--- a/apps/btshell/src/cmd.c
+++ b/apps/btshell/src/cmd.c
@@ -1110,6 +1110,7 @@ static struct btshell_scan_opts g_scan_opts = {
         .limit = UINT16_MAX,
         .ignore_legacy = 0,
         .periodic_only = 0,
+        .silent = 0,
         .name_filter_len = 0,
 };
 
@@ -1136,6 +1137,12 @@ cmd_set_scan_opts(int argc, char **argv)
         return rc;
     }
 
+    g_scan_opts.silent = parse_arg_bool_dflt("silent", 0, &rc);
+    if (rc != 0) {
+        console_printf("invalid 'silent' parameter\n");
+        return rc;
+    }
+
     g_scan_opts.periodic_only = parse_arg_bool_dflt("periodic_only", 0, &rc);
     if (rc != 0) {
         console_printf("invalid 'periodic_only' parameter\n");
@@ -1160,6 +1167,7 @@ static const struct shell_param set_scan_opts_params[] = {
     {"decode_limit", "usage: =[0-UINT16_MAX], default: UINT16_MAX"},
     {"ignore_legacy", "usage: =[0-1], default: 0"},
     {"periodic_only", "usage: =[0-1], default: 0"},
+    {"silent", "usage: =[0-1], default: 0"},
     {"name_filter", "usage: =name, default: {none}"},
     {NULL, NULL}
 };
diff --git a/apps/btshell/src/main.c b/apps/btshell/src/main.c
index 0f87b5c236..6424bf6b86 100644
--- a/apps/btshell/src/main.c
+++ b/apps/btshell/src/main.c
@@ -1315,11 +1315,23 @@ btshell_gap_event(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
 
         return btshell_restart_adv(event);
 #if MYNEWT_VAL(BLE_EXT_ADV)
-    case BLE_GAP_EVENT_EXT_DISC:
-        btshell_decode_event_type(&event->ext_disc, arg);
+    case BLE_GAP_EVENT_EXT_DISC: {
+        struct btshell_scan_opts *scan_opts = arg;
+
+        if (!scan_opts->silent) {
+            btshell_decode_event_type(&event->ext_disc, arg);
+        }
+
         return 0;
+    }
 #endif
-    case BLE_GAP_EVENT_DISC:
+    case BLE_GAP_EVENT_DISC: {
+        struct btshell_scan_opts *scan_opts = arg;
+
+        if (scan_opts->silent) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+
         console_printf("received advertisement; event_type=%d rssi=%d "
                        "addr_type=%d addr=", event->disc.event_type,
                        event->disc.rssi, event->disc.addr.type);
@@ -1337,6 +1349,7 @@ btshell_gap_event(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
         btshell_decode_adv_data(event->disc.data, event->disc.length_data, arg);
 
         return 0;
+    }
 
     case BLE_GAP_EVENT_CONN_UPDATE:
         console_printf("connection updated; status=%d ",