diff --git a/flexynesis/__main__.py b/flexynesis/__main__.py
index 1a21ed5..3a6476c 100644
--- a/flexynesis/__main__.py
+++ b/flexynesis/__main__.py
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ def main():
     parser.add_argument("--prefix", help="Job prefix to use for output files", type=str, default = 'job')
     parser.add_argument("--log_transform", help="whether to apply log-transformation to input data matrices", type=str, choices=['True', 'False'], default = 'False')
     parser.add_argument("--early_stop_patience", help="How many epochs to wait when no improvements in validation loss is observed (default: 10; set to -1 to disable early stopping)", type=int, default = 10)
+    parser.add_argument("--hpo_patience", help="How many hyperparamater optimisation iterations to wait for when no improvements are observed (default: 10; set to 0 to disable early stopping)", type=int, default = 10)
     parser.add_argument("--use_cv", action="store_true", 
                         help="(Optional) If set, the a 5-fold cross-validation training will be done. Otherwise, a single trainign on 80% of the dataset is done.")
     parser.add_argument("--use_loss_weighting", help="whether to apply loss-balancing using uncertainty weights method", type=str, choices=['True', 'False'], default = 'True')
@@ -218,7 +219,7 @@ class AvailableModels(NamedTuple):
                                             output_layers = output_layers)    
     
     # do a hyperparameter search training multiple models and get the best_configuration 
-    model, best_params = tuner.perform_tuning()
+    model, best_params = tuner.perform_tuning(hpo_patience = args.hpo_patience)
         
     # if fine-tuning is enabled; fine tune the model on a portion of test samples 
     if args.finetuning_samples > 0:
diff --git a/flexynesis/main.py b/flexynesis/main.py
index a1c8dbb..12e8c07 100644
--- a/flexynesis/main.py
+++ b/flexynesis/main.py
@@ -208,17 +208,20 @@ def objective(self, params, current_step, total_steps, full_train = False):
             avg_epochs = int(np.mean(epochs))
             return avg_val_loss, avg_epochs, model 
     
-    def perform_tuning(self):
+    def perform_tuning(self, hpo_patience = 0):
         opt = Optimizer(dimensions=self.space, n_initial_points=10, acq_func="gp_hedge", acq_optimizer="auto")
 
         best_loss = np.inf
         best_params = None
         best_epochs = 0
         best_model = None
-        
+
+        # keep track of the streak of HPO iterations without improvement 
+        no_improvement_count = 0
+
         with tqdm(total=self.n_iter, desc='Tuning Progress') as pbar:
             for i in range(self.n_iter):
-                np.int = int
+                np.int = int  # Ensure int type is correctly handled
                 suggested_params_list = opt.ask()
                 suggested_params_dict = {param.name: value for param, value in zip(self.space, suggested_params_list)}
                 loss, avg_epochs, model = self.objective(suggested_params_dict, current_step=i+1, total_steps=self.n_iter)
@@ -229,21 +232,31 @@ def perform_tuning(self):
                 if loss < best_loss:
                     best_loss = loss
                     best_params = suggested_params_list
-                    best_epochs = avg_epochs 
+                    best_epochs = avg_epochs
                     best_model = model
+                    no_improvement_count = 0  # Reset the no improvement counter
+                else:
+                    no_improvement_count += 1  # Increment the no improvement counter
 
                 # Print result of each iteration
                 pbar.set_postfix({'Iteration': i+1, 'Best Loss': best_loss})
                 pbar.update(1)
-        # convert best params to dict 
+
+                # Early stopping condition
+                if no_improvement_count >= hpo_patience & hpo_patience > 0:
+                    print(f"No improvement in best loss for {hpo_patience} iterations, stopping hyperparameter optimisation early.")
+                    break  # Break out of the loop
+
+        # Convert best parameters from list to dictionary and include epochs
         best_params_dict = {param.name: value for param, value in zip(self.space, best_params)}
-        best_params_dict['epochs'] = avg_epochs
+        best_params_dict['epochs'] = best_epochs
+
         if self.use_cv:
-            # build a final model based on best params if a cross-validation 
+            # Build a final model based on best parameters if using cross-validation
             print(f"[INFO] Building a final model using best params: {best_params_dict}")
-            best_model = self.objective(best_params_dict, current_step=0, total_steps=1, full_train=True)        
-        return best_model, best_params_dict
-    
+            best_model = self.objective(best_params_dict, current_step=0, total_steps=1, full_train=True)
+
+        return best_model, best_params_dict    
     def init_early_stopping(self):
         """Initialize the early stopping callback."""
         return EarlyStopping(