diff --git a/pkg/nimble/scanner/include/nimble_scanner.h b/pkg/nimble/scanner/include/nimble_scanner.h
index e896c00fe7..fca8aa4b5c 100644
--- a/pkg/nimble/scanner/include/nimble_scanner.h
+++ b/pkg/nimble/scanner/include/nimble_scanner.h
@@ -68,6 +68,9 @@ int nimble_scanner_init(const struct ble_gap_disc_params *params,
 
 /**
  * @brief   Start scanning using timing parameters configured on initialization
+ *
+ * @note    Scanning will run for ever unless stopped or unless a different
+ *          scan duration is set with @ref nimble_scanner_set_scan_duration
  */
 int nimble_scanner_start(void);
 
@@ -84,6 +87,15 @@ void nimble_scanner_stop(void);
  */
 int nimble_scanner_status(void);
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Set the duration for the scanning procedure.
+ *
+ *          If there is an active scanning process, it will be restarted.
+ *
+ * @param[in]  duration_ms  duration of scanning procedure in ms
+ */
+void nimble_scanner_set_scan_duration(int32_t duration_ms);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/pkg/nimble/scanner/nimble_scanner.c b/pkg/nimble/scanner/nimble_scanner.c
index c81e7b75e6..b1e6ca8e37 100644
--- a/pkg/nimble/scanner/nimble_scanner.c
+++ b/pkg/nimble/scanner/nimble_scanner.c
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@
 static nimble_scanner_cb _disc_cb = NULL;
 static struct ble_gap_disc_params _scan_params = { 0 };
 
+/* duration of the scanning procedure */
+static int32_t _scan_duration = BLE_HS_FOREVER;
+
 static int _on_scan_evt(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
 {
     /* only interested in the DISC event */
@@ -39,6 +42,9 @@ static int _on_scan_evt(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
         _disc_cb(event->disc.event_type, &event->disc.addr, event->disc.rssi,
                  event->disc.data, (size_t)event->disc.length_data);
     }
+    else if (event->type == BLE_GAP_EVENT_DISC_COMPLETE) {
+        DEBUG("[scanner] scan cycle completed\n");
+    }
     else {
         /* this should never happen */
         DEBUG("[scanner] unknown event triggered (%i)\n", (int)event->type);
@@ -51,7 +57,7 @@ static int _on_scan_evt(struct ble_gap_event *event, void *arg)
 int nimble_scanner_start(void)
 {
     if (ble_gap_disc_active() == 0) {
-        int res = ble_gap_disc(nimble_riot_own_addr_type, BLE_HS_FOREVER,
+        int res = ble_gap_disc(nimble_riot_own_addr_type, _scan_duration,
                                &_scan_params, _on_scan_evt, NULL);
         if (res != 0) {
             DEBUG("[scanner] err: start failed (%i)\n", res);
@@ -79,6 +85,15 @@ int nimble_scanner_status(void)
         : NIMBLE_SCANNER_STOPPED;
 }
 
+void nimble_scanner_set_scan_duration(int32_t duration_ms)
+{
+    _scan_duration = duration_ms;
+    if (ble_gap_disc_active()) {
+        nimble_scanner_stop();
+        nimble_scanner_start();
+    }
+}
+
 int nimble_scanner_init(const struct ble_gap_disc_params *params,
                         nimble_scanner_cb disc_cb)
 {