diff --git a/testgres/node.py b/testgres/node.py
index d68f3d34..f93f8787 100644
--- a/testgres/node.py
+++ b/testgres/node.py
@@ -564,12 +564,13 @@ def get_control_data(self):
 
         return out_dict
 
-    def start(self, params=[]):
+    def start(self, params=[], wait=True):
         """
         Start this node using pg_ctl.
 
         Args:
             params: additional arguments for pg_ctl.
+            wait: wait until operation completes.
 
         Returns:
             This instance of :class:`.PostgresNode`.
@@ -579,7 +580,7 @@ def start(self, params=[]):
             get_bin_path("pg_ctl"),
             "-D", self.data_dir,
             "-l", self.pg_log_file,
-            "-w",  # wait
+            "-w" if wait else '-W',  # --wait or --no-wait
             "start"
         ] + params  # yapf: disable
 
@@ -594,12 +595,13 @@ def start(self, params=[]):
 
         return self
 
-    def stop(self, params=[]):
+    def stop(self, params=[], wait=True):
         """
         Stop this node using pg_ctl.
 
         Args:
             params: additional arguments for pg_ctl.
+            wait: wait until operation completes.
 
         Returns:
             This instance of :class:`.PostgresNode`.
@@ -608,7 +610,7 @@ def stop(self, params=[]):
         _params = [
             get_bin_path("pg_ctl"),
             "-D", self.data_dir,
-            "-w",  # wait
+            "-w" if wait else '-W',  # --wait or --no-wait
             "stop"
         ] + params  # yapf: disable
 
diff --git a/tests/test_simple.py b/tests/test_simple.py
index f639e92a..9818e6a3 100755
--- a/tests/test_simple.py
+++ b/tests/test_simple.py
@@ -373,6 +373,18 @@ def test_backup_wrong_xlog_method(self):
                     BackupException, msg='Invalid xlog_method "wrong"'):
                 node.backup(xlog_method='wrong')
 
+    def test_pg_ctl_wait_option(self):
+        with get_new_node() as node:
+            node.init().start(wait=False)
+            while True:
+                try:
+                    node.stop(wait=False)
+                    break
+                except ExecUtilException:
+                    # it's ok to get this exception here since node
+                    # could be not started yet
+                    pass
+
     def test_replicate(self):
         with get_new_node() as node:
             node.init(allow_streaming=True).start()