diff --git a/lib/guard.rb b/lib/guard.rb
index 8f225ee..1e14a16 100644
--- a/lib/guard.rb
+++ b/lib/guard.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module Guard
     def setup(options = {})
       @options    = options
       @guards     = []
-      @groups     = [:default]
+      @groups     = [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }]
       @interactor = Interactor.new
       @listener   = Listener.select_and_init(@options[:watchdir] ? File.expand_path(@options[:watchdir]) : Dir.pwd)
 
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ module Guard
       end
 
       UI.info "Guard is now watching at '#{listener.directory}'"
-      guards.each { |guard| supervised_task(guard, :start) }
+
+      execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:start)
 
       interactor.start
       listener.start
@@ -48,19 +49,19 @@ module Guard
     def stop
       UI.info "Bye bye...", :reset => true
       listener.stop
-      guards.each { |guard| supervised_task(guard, :stop) }
+      execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:stop)
       abort
     end
 
     def reload
       run do
-        guards.each { |guard| supervised_task(guard, :reload) }
+        execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:reload)
       end
     end
 
     def run_all
       run do
-        guards.each { |guard| supervised_task(guard, :run_all) }
+        execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:run_all)
       end
     end
 
@@ -77,13 +78,7 @@ module Guard
 
     def run_on_change(files)
       run do
-        guards.each do |guard|
-          paths = Watcher.match_files(guard, files)
-          unless paths.empty?
-            UI.debug "#{guard.class.name}#run_on_change with #{paths.inspect}"
-            supervised_task(guard, :run_on_change, paths)
-          end
-        end
+        execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:run_on_change, files)
       end
     end
 
@@ -99,13 +94,37 @@ module Guard
       listener.unlock
     end
 
+    def execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(task, files = nil)
+      groups.each do |group_hash|
+        catch :task_has_failed do
+          guards.find_all { |guard| guard.group == group_hash[:name] }.each do |guard|
+            paths = Watcher.match_files(guard, files) if files
+            if paths && !paths.empty?
+              UI.debug "#{guard.class.name}##{task} with #{paths.inspect}"
+              supervised_task(guard, task, paths)
+            else
+              supervised_task(guard, task)
+            end
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     # Let a guard execute its task but
     # fire it if his work leads to a system failure
     def supervised_task(guard, task_to_supervise, *args)
       guard.hook("#{task_to_supervise}_begin", *args)
       result = guard.send(task_to_supervise, *args)
       guard.hook("#{task_to_supervise}_end", result)
-      result
+
+      group = @groups.find { |group| group[:name] == guard.group }
+      if result === false && group[:options][:halt_on_fail] == true
+        UI.error "#{guard.class.name}##{task_to_supervise} failed."
+        throw :task_has_failed
+      else
+        result
+      end
+
     rescue Exception => ex
       UI.error("#{guard.class.name} failed to achieve its <#{task_to_supervise.to_s}>, exception was:" +
       "\n#{ex.class}: #{ex.message}\n#{ex.backtrace.join("\n")}")
@@ -124,8 +143,8 @@ module Guard
       end
     end
 
-    def add_group(name)
-      @groups << name.to_sym unless name.nil?
+    def add_group(name, options = {})
+      @groups << { :name => name.to_sym, :options => options } unless name.nil? || @groups.find { |group| group[:name] == name }
     end
 
     def get_guard_class(name)
diff --git a/lib/guard/dsl.rb b/lib/guard/dsl.rb
index fdf736b..8c72324 100644
--- a/lib/guard/dsl.rb
+++ b/lib/guard/dsl.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ module Guard
 
       def reevaluate_guardfile
         ::Guard.guards.clear
+        ::Guard.groups.clear
         @@options.delete(:guardfile_contents)
         Dsl.evaluate_guardfile(@@options)
         msg = "Guardfile has been re-evaluated."
@@ -112,11 +113,12 @@ module Guard
 
     end
 
-    def group(name, &guard_definition)
+    def group(name, options = {}, &guard_definition)
       @groups = @@options[:group] || []
       name = name.to_sym
 
       if guard_definition && (@groups.empty? || @groups.map(&:to_sym).include?(name))
+        ::Guard.add_group(name.to_s.downcase.to_sym, options)
         @current_group = name
         guard_definition.call
         @current_group = nil
diff --git a/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb b/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
index 2050ee6..ed2c049 100644
--- a/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard/dsl_spec.rb
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
     @local_guardfile_path = File.join(Dir.pwd, 'Guardfile')
     @home_guardfile_path  = File.expand_path(File.join("~", ".Guardfile"))
     @user_config_path     = File.expand_path(File.join("~", ".guard.rb"))
+    ::Guard.setup
     ::Guard.stub!(:options).and_return(:debug => true)
     ::Guard.stub!(:guards).and_return([mock('Guard')])
   end
@@ -220,16 +221,16 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
 
   describe "#ignore_paths" do
     disable_user_config
-    
+
     it "adds the paths to the listener's ignore_paths" do
       ::Guard.stub!(:listener).and_return(mock('Listener'))
       ::Guard.listener.should_receive(:ignore_paths).and_return(ignore_paths = ['faz'])
-      
+
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => "ignore_paths 'foo', 'bar'")
       ignore_paths.should == ['faz', 'foo', 'bar']
     end
   end
-  
+
   describe "#group" do
     disable_user_config
 
@@ -238,6 +239,8 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:test, [], [], { :group => :w })
 
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => valid_guardfile_string, :group => ['w'])
+
+      ::Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :w, :options => {} }]
     end
 
     it "evaluates only the specified symbol group" do
@@ -245,15 +248,19 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:test, [], [], { :group => :w })
 
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => valid_guardfile_string, :group => [:w])
+
+      ::Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :w, :options => {} }]
     end
 
-    it "evaluates only the specified groups" do
+    it "evaluates only the specified groups (with their options)" do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:pow, [], [], { :group => :default })
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:rspec, [], [], { :group => :x })
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:ronn, [], [], { :group => :x })
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:less, [], [], { :group => :y })
 
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => valid_guardfile_string, :group => [:x, :y])
+
+      ::Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :x, :options => { :halt_on_fail => true } }, { :name => :y, :options => {} }]
     end
 
     it "evaluates always guard outside any group (even when a group is given)" do
@@ -261,9 +268,11 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:test, [], [], { :group => :w })
 
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => valid_guardfile_string, :group => [:w])
+
+      ::Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :w, :options => {} }]
     end
 
-    it "evaluates all groups when no group option is specified" do
+    it "evaluates all groups when no group option is specified (with their options)" do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:pow, [], [], { :group => :default })
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:test, [], [], { :group => :w })
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:rspec, [], [], { :group => :x })
@@ -271,6 +280,9 @@ describe Guard::Dsl do
       ::Guard.should_receive(:add_guard).with(:less, [], [], { :group => :y })
 
       subject.evaluate_guardfile(:guardfile_contents => valid_guardfile_string)
+
+      ::Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :w, :options => {} }, { :name => :x, :options => { :halt_on_fail => true } }, { :name => :y, :options => {} }]
+
     end
   end
 
@@ -365,7 +377,7 @@ private
       guard 'test'
     end
 
-    group :x do
+    group :x, :halt_on_fail => true do
       guard 'rspec'
       guard :ronn
     end
diff --git a/spec/guard_spec.rb b/spec/guard_spec.rb
index 1a556b4..7a97e46 100644
--- a/spec/guard_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/guard_spec.rb
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ describe Guard do
     end
 
     it "initializes @groups" do
-      Guard.groups.should eql [:default]
+      Guard.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }]
     end
 
     it "initializes the options" do
@@ -129,22 +129,25 @@ describe Guard do
     end
   end
 
-
   describe ".add_group" do
-    before(:each) do
-      Guard.setup
-    end
+    subject { ::Guard.setup }
 
     it "accepts group name as string" do
-      Guard.add_group('backend')
+      subject.add_group('backend')
 
-      Guard.groups.should eql [:default, :backend]
+      subject.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :backend, :options => {} }]
     end
 
     it "accepts group name as symbol" do
-      Guard.add_group(:backend)
+      subject.add_group(:backend)
 
-      Guard.groups.should eql [:default, :backend]
+      subject.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :backend, :options => {} }]
+    end
+
+    it "accepts options" do
+      subject.add_group(:backend, { :halt_on_fail => true })
+
+      subject.groups.should eql [{ :name => :default, :options => {} }, { :name => :backend, :options => { :halt_on_fail => true } }]
     end
   end
 
@@ -223,12 +226,54 @@ describe Guard do
     end
   end
 
+  describe ".execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards" do
+    subject { ::Guard.setup }
+
+    before do
+      class Guard::Dummy < Guard::Guard; end
+
+      subject.add_group(:foo, { :halt_on_fail => true })
+      subject.add_group(:bar)
+      subject.add_guard(:dummy, [], [], { :group => :foo })
+      subject.add_guard(:dummy, [], [], { :group => :foo })
+      subject.add_guard(:dummy, [], [], { :group => :bar })
+      subject.add_guard(:dummy, [], [], { :group => :bar })
+      @sum = { :foo => 0, :bar => 0}
+    end
+
+    context "all tasks succeed" do
+      before do
+        subject.guards.each { |guard| guard.stub!(:task) { @sum[guard.group] += 1; true } }
+      end
+
+      it "executes the task for each guard in each group" do
+        subject.execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:task)
+
+        @sum.all? { |k, v| v == 2 }.should be_true
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "one guard fails (by returning false)" do
+      before do
+        subject.guards.each_with_index { |g, i| g.stub!(:task) { @sum[g.group] += i+1; i != 0 && i != 2 } }
+      end
+
+      it "executes the task only for guards that didn't fail for group with :halt_on_fail == true" do
+        subject.execute_supervised_task_for_all_guards(:task)
+
+        @sum[:foo].should eql 1
+        @sum[:bar].should eql 7
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   describe ".supervised_task" do
     subject { ::Guard.setup }
 
-    before(:each) do
+    before do
       @g = mock(Guard::Guard).as_null_object
       subject.guards.push(@g)
+      subject.groups.push({ :name => :foo, :options => { :halt_on_fail => true } })
     end
 
     context "with a task that succeed" do
@@ -278,6 +323,14 @@ describe Guard do
       end
     end
 
+    context "with a task that return false and guard's group has the :halt_on_fail option == true" do
+      before(:each) { @g.stub!(:group) { :foo }; @g.stub!(:failing) { false } }
+
+      it "throws :task_has_failed" do
+        expect { subject.supervised_task(@g, :failing) }.to throw_symbol(:task_has_failed)
+      end
+    end
+
     context "with a task that raises an exception" do
       before(:each) { @g.stub!(:failing) { raise "I break your system" } }
 
diff --git a/spec/spec_helper.rb b/spec/spec_helper.rb
index 1520849..a041ca6 100644
--- a/spec/spec_helper.rb
+++ b/spec/spec_helper.rb
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ RSpec.configure do |config|
   config.color_enabled = true
 
   config.filter_run :focus => true
+  config.treat_symbols_as_metadata_keys_with_true_values = true
   config.run_all_when_everything_filtered = true
 
   config.before(:each) do