diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index ea9bb17..a8ab0df 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ These variables are set in `defaults/main.yml`:
 
 grub_timeout: 5
 
+grub_recordfail_timeout: "{{ grub_timeout }}"
+
 # Add options here, for example:
 # grub_options:
 #   - option: cgroup_enable
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 06896f0..6349761 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 
 grub_timeout: 5
 
+grub_recordfail_timeout: "{{ grub_timeout }}"
+
 # Add options here, for example:
 # grub_options:
 #   - option: cgroup_enable
diff --git a/tasks/assert.yml b/tasks/assert.yml
index a027890..b25cc7c 100644
--- a/tasks/assert.yml
+++ b/tasks/assert.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@
       - grub_timeout | int >= 0
     quiet: yes
 
+- name: test if grub_recordfail_timeout is set correctly
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - grub_recordfail_timeout is defined
+      - grub_recordfail_timeout | int >= 0
+    quiet: yes
+
 - name: test if grub_options is set correctly
   assert:
     that:
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 9650f59..89c77a0 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@
   notify:
     - update grub
 
+- name: set GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT
+  lineinfile:
+    path: /etc/default/grub
+    line: GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT={{ grub_recordfail_timeout }}
+    create: yes
+  notify:
+    - update grub
+
 - name: add options to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX
   replace:
     path: /etc/default/grub