diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.cpp
index f6c2de773..166a8cdfb 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.cpp
@@ -1527,9 +1527,9 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             return msgs;
         }
 
-        CStatusMessageList CAircraftModelList::validateFiles(CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simRootDirectory, bool alreadySortedByFn) const
+        CStatusMessageList CAircraftModelList::validateFiles(CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simRootDirectory, bool alreadySortedByFn) const
         {
-            stopped = false;
+            wasStopped = false;
 
             CStatusMessageList msgs;
             QSet<QString> failedFiles;
@@ -1549,6 +1549,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
             for (const CAircraftModel &model : as_const(sorted))
             {
+                if (wasStopped) { break; } // allow breaking from external
                 bool ok = false;
                 do
                 {
@@ -1600,7 +1601,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 CAircraftModelList::addAsValidOrInvalidModel(model, ok, validModels, invalidModels);
                 if (stopAtFailedFiles > 0 && failedFilesCount >= stopAtFailedFiles)
                 {
-                    stopped = true;
+                    wasStopped = true;
                     msgs.push_back(CStatusMessage(this).validationWarning(u"Stopping after %1 failed files") << failedFilesCount);
                     break;
                 }
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.h b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.h
index db8a83790..185975b59 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodellist.h
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             CStatusMessageList validateDistributors(const CDistributorList &distributors, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels) const;
 
             //! Validate files (file exists etc.)
-            CStatusMessageList validateFiles(CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simRootDirectory, bool alreadySortedByFn = false) const;
+            CStatusMessageList validateFiles(CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simRootDirectory, bool alreadySortedByFn = false) const;
 
             //! To compact JSON format
             QJsonObject toMemoizedJson() const;
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.cpp
index 35369254f..001da818e 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.cpp
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             return ok ? dir.absoluteFilePath(fn) : "";
         }
 
-        CStatusMessageList CAircraftModelUtilities::validateModelFiles(const CSimulatorInfo &simulator, const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmpty, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir)
+        CStatusMessageList CAircraftModelUtilities::validateModelFiles(const CSimulatorInfo &simulator, const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmpty, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simulatorDir)
         {
             // some generic tests
             CStatusMessageList msgs;
@@ -170,27 +170,27 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             CStatusMessageList specificTests;
             if (simulator.isMicrosoftOrPrepare3DSimulator() || models.isLikelyFsFamilyModelList())
             {
-                const CStatusMessageList specificTests1 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateAircraftConfigFiles(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped);
+                const CStatusMessageList specificTests1 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateAircraftConfigFiles(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped);
                 specificTests.push_back(specificTests1);
 
                 if (simulator.isP3D())
                 {
-                    const CStatusMessageList specificTests2 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateP3DSimObjectsPath(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped, simulatorDir);
+                    const CStatusMessageList specificTests2 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateP3DSimObjectsPath(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped, simulatorDir);
                     specificTests.push_back(specificTests2);
                 }
                 else if (simulator.isFSX())
                 {
-                    const CStatusMessageList specificTests2 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateFSXSimObjectsPath(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped, simulatorDir);
+                    const CStatusMessageList specificTests2 = FsCommon::CFsCommonUtil::validateFSXSimObjectsPath(models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped, simulatorDir);
                     specificTests.push_back(specificTests2);
                 }
             }
             else if (simulator.isXPlane() || models.isLikelyXPlaneModelList())
             {
-                specificTests = models.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped, simulatorDir);
+                specificTests = models.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped, simulatorDir);
             }
             else
             {
-                specificTests = models.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped, {});
+                specificTests = models.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmpty, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped, {});
             }
 
             msgs.push_back(specificTests);
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.h b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.h
index a86183f2f..bf1fafb5d 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/aircraftmodelutils.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
             static QString createIcaoAirlineAircraftHtmlMatrixFile(const BlackMisc::Simulation::CAircraftModelList &models, const QString &tempDir);
 
             //! Validate aircraft.cfg entries
-            static CStatusMessageList validateModelFiles(const CSimulatorInfo &simulator, const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmpty, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
+            static CStatusMessageList validateModelFiles(const CSimulatorInfo &simulator, const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmpty, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
         };
     } //namespace
 } // namespace
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.cpp b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.cpp
index 6199f776f..5ab57dabe 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.cpp
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.cpp
@@ -639,14 +639,14 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 return paths;
             }
 
-            CStatusMessageList CFsCommonUtil::validateAircraftConfigFiles(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped)
+            CStatusMessageList CFsCommonUtil::validateAircraftConfigFiles(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped)
             {
                 CStatusMessage m;
                 CAircraftModelList sorted(models);
                 sorted.sortByFileName();
-                stopped = false;
-                CStatusMessageList msgs = sorted.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmptyFileNames, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped, QString(), true);
-                if (stopped || validModels.isEmpty()) { return msgs; }
+                wasStopped = false;
+                CStatusMessageList msgs = sorted.validateFiles(validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmptyFileNames, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped, QString(), true);
+                if (wasStopped || validModels.isEmpty()) { return msgs; }
 
                 const CAircraftModelList nonFsModels = validModels.findNonFsFamilyModels();
                 if (!nonFsModels.isEmpty())
@@ -655,6 +655,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                     {
                         m = CStatusMessage(getLogCategories(), CStatusMessage::SeverityError, QStringLiteral("Removed '%1' non FS family model").arg(model.getModelStringAndDbKey()), true);
                         msgs.push_back(m);
+                        if (wasStopped) { break; } // allow to break from "outside"
                     }
 
                     const int d = validModels.removeIfNotFsFamily();
@@ -668,6 +669,7 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 for (const QString &fileName : fileNames)
                 {
                     bool ok = false;
+                    if (wasStopped) { break; } // allow to break from "outside"
                     const CAircraftCfgEntriesList entries  = CAircraftCfgParser::performParsingOfSingleFile(fileName, ok, msgs);
                     const QSet<QString> removeModelStrings = entries.getTitleSetUpperCase();
                     const CAircraftModelList removedModels = validModels.removeIfFileButNotInSet(fileName, removeModelStrings);
@@ -701,16 +703,16 @@ namespace BlackMisc
                 return msgs;
             }
 
-            CStatusMessageList CFsCommonUtil::validateP3DSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir)
+            CStatusMessageList CFsCommonUtil::validateP3DSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simulatorDir)
             {
                 const QString simObjectsDir = simulatorDir.isEmpty() ? CFsCommonUtil::p3dSimObjectsDir() : CFsCommonUtil::p3dSimObjectsDirFromSimDir(simulatorDir);
                 const QStringList simObjectPaths = CFsCommonUtil::p3dSimObjectsDirPlusAddOnXmlSimObjectsPaths(simObjectsDir, "v4");
-                return CFsCommonUtil::validateSimObjectsPath(QSet<QString>(simObjectPaths.begin(), simObjectPaths.end()), models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmptyFileNames, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped);
+                return CFsCommonUtil::validateSimObjectsPath(QSet<QString>(simObjectPaths.begin(), simObjectPaths.end()), models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmptyFileNames, stopAtFailedFiles, wasStopped);
             }
 
             CStatusMessageList CFsCommonUtil::validateFSXSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir)
             {
-                Q_UNUSED(simulatorDir);
+                Q_UNUSED(simulatorDir)
                 const QStringList simObjectPaths = CFsCommonUtil::fsxSimObjectsDirPlusAddOnXmlSimObjectsPaths();
                 return CFsCommonUtil::validateSimObjectsPath(QSet<QString>(simObjectPaths.begin(), simObjectPaths.end()), models, validModels, invalidModels, ignoreEmptyFileNames, stopAtFailedFiles, stopped);
             }
diff --git a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.h b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.h
index 4e252f63d..5f30ee6e9 100644
--- a/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.h
+++ b/src/blackmisc/simulation/fscommon/fscommonutil.h
@@ -139,15 +139,15 @@ namespace BlackMisc
 
                 //! Validate aircraft.cfg entries (sometimes also sim.cfg)
                 //! \remark only for FSX/P3D/FS9 models
-                static CStatusMessageList validateAircraftConfigFiles(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped);
+                static CStatusMessageList validateAircraftConfigFiles(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped);
 
                 //! Validate if known SimObjects path are used
                 //! \remark only for P3D
-                static CStatusMessageList validateP3DSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
+                static CStatusMessageList validateP3DSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
 
                 //! Validate if known SimObjects path are used
                 //! \remark only for FSX
-                static CStatusMessageList validateFSXSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &stopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
+                static CStatusMessageList validateFSXSimObjectsPath(const CAircraftModelList &models, CAircraftModelList &validModels, CAircraftModelList &invalidModels, bool ignoreEmptyFileNames, int stopAtFailedFiles, bool &wasStopped, const QString &simulatorDir);
 
                 //! .air file filter
                 static const QString airFileFilter();