diff --git a/megatron/arguments.py b/megatron/arguments.py
index 30c3d669d7..af39f0b0e3 100644
--- a/megatron/arguments.py
+++ b/megatron/arguments.py
@@ -680,6 +680,9 @@ def _add_network_size_args(parser):
                        help='Untie embeddings and output weights.'),
     group.add_argument('--embedding-weights-in-fp32', action='store_true',
                        help='Cast word embedding weights to fp32 before embedding fwd.'),
+    group.add_argument('--kill-switch-file', type=str, default=None,
+                       help='Location of kill switch file. '
+                            'If found will automatically exit the program at runtime.')
     return parser
 
 
diff --git a/megatron/training.py b/megatron/training.py
index 697d62f7b8..6ba26f3944 100644
--- a/megatron/training.py
+++ b/megatron/training.py
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
 from megatron.optimizer_param_scheduler import OptimizerParamScheduler
 from megatron.model import DistributedDataParallel as LocalDDP
 from megatron.utils import check_adlr_autoresume_termination
-from megatron.utils import unwrap_model
+from megatron.utils import unwrap_model, found_kill_switch
 from megatron.data.data_samplers import build_pretraining_data_loader
 from megatron.utils import calc_params_l2_norm
 from megatron.core.pipeline_parallel import get_forward_backward_func
@@ -128,6 +128,13 @@ def pretrain(train_valid_test_dataset_provider,
     # Initalize and get arguments, timers, and Tensorboard writer.
     initialize_megatron(extra_args_provider=extra_args_provider,
                         args_defaults=args_defaults, external_args=external_args)
+
+    args = get_args()
+
+    if found_kill_switch():
+        print_datetime(f"Detected kill switch at {args.kill_switch_file}. Exiting")
+        sys.exit()
+
     # Set pytorch JIT layer fusion options and warmup JIT functions.
     if get_accelerator().device_name() == 'cuda':
         set_jit_fusion_options()
@@ -144,7 +151,6 @@ def pretrain(train_valid_test_dataset_provider,
         time.time() - _TRAIN_START_TIME))
     print_datetime('after megatron is initialized')
 
-    args = get_args()
     timers = get_timers()
 
     if args.deepspeed:
@@ -1358,6 +1364,15 @@ def train(forward_step_func, model, optimizer, opt_param_scheduler,
             sys.exit()
         trigger(on_step_end)
 
+        # Exiting based on kill switch file
+        if found_kill_switch():
+            if args.save and not saved_checkpoint:
+                save_checkpoint_and_time(iteration, model, optimizer,
+                                         opt_param_scheduler)
+            torch.distributed.barrier()
+            print_datetime(f"Detected kill switch at {args.kill_switch_file}, "
+                           f"iteration={iteration}. Exiting")
+            sys.exit()
 
     return iteration
 
diff --git a/megatron/utils.py b/megatron/utils.py
index 9033d6402a..cbb7aa6426 100644
--- a/megatron/utils.py
+++ b/megatron/utils.py
@@ -381,3 +381,11 @@ def dump_weights(preamble, iteration, model, optimizer, tensor=None):
                 p = model[0].module.tied_modules.embed.word_embeddings.weight._hp_param
                 fh.write(f"{get_fingerprint(p)} module.tied_modules.embed.word_embeddings.weight._hp_param {p.shape}\n")
 
+
+def found_kill_switch():
+    args = get_args()
+    if args.kill_switch_file is not None and os.path.exists(args.kill_switch_file):
+        return True
+    else:
+        return False
+