diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 8ea64e142..96bc56e3e 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ build_template_app:
     SDK_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
     IDF_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
     GIT_STRATEGY: clone
+    BATCH_BUILD: "1"
 
   script:
     - git clone https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf-template.git
@@ -39,13 +40,11 @@ build_template_app:
     # using on esp-idf. If it doesn't exist then just stick to the default
     # branch
     - git checkout ${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME} || echo "Using esp-idf-template default branch..."
-    - make defconfig
     # Test debug build (default)
     - make all V=1
     # Now test release build
     - make clean
     - sed -i.bak -e's/CONFIG_OPTIMIZATION_LEVEL_DEBUG\=y/CONFIG_OPTIMIZATION_LEVEL_RELEASE=y/' sdkconfig
-    - make defconfig
     - make all V=1
     # Check if there are any stray printf/ets_printf references in WiFi libs
     - cd ../components/esp32/lib
@@ -63,6 +62,8 @@ build_template_app:
     SDK_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
     IDF_PATH: "$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
     GIT_STRATEGY: clone
+    BATCH_BUILD: "1"
+
 
 build_ssc:
   <<: *build_template
@@ -103,7 +104,6 @@ build_esp_idf_tests:
   script:
     - cd tools/unit-test-app
     - git checkout ${CI_BUILD_REF_NAME} || echo "Using default branch..."
-    - make defconfig
     - make TESTS_ALL=1
     - python UnitTestParser.py
 
diff --git a/docs/build-system.rst b/docs/build-system.rst
index 0973eeb31..b3abbd28f 100644
--- a/docs/build-system.rst
+++ b/docs/build-system.rst
@@ -305,6 +305,17 @@ Second Level: Component Makefiles
 
 To better understand the component make process, have a read through the ``component_wrapper.mk`` file and some of the ``component.mk`` files included with esp-idf.
 
+Running Make Non-Interactively
+------------------------------
+
+When running ``make`` in a situation where you don't want interactive prompts (for example: inside an IDE or an automated build system) append ``BATCH_BUILD=1`` to the make arguments (or set it as an environment variable).
+
+Setting ``BATCH_BUILD`` implies the following:
+
+- Verbose output (same as ``V=1``, see below). If you don't want verbose output, also set ``V=0``.
+- If the project configuration is missing new configuration items (from new components or esp-idf updates) then the project use the default values, instead of prompting the user for each item.
+- If the build system needs to invoke ``menuconfig``, an error is printed and the build fails.
+
 Debugging The Make Process
 --------------------------
 
diff --git a/docs/eclipse-setup-windows.rst b/docs/eclipse-setup-windows.rst
index 4cf8fe5fb..aeb011c0c 100644
--- a/docs/eclipse-setup-windows.rst
+++ b/docs/eclipse-setup-windows.rst
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Project Properties
 
 * Click on the "Environment" properties page under "C/C++ Build":
 
-  * Click "Add..." and enter name ``V`` and value ``1``.
+  * Click "Add..." and enter name ``BATCH_BUILD`` and value ``1``.
 
   * Click "Add..." again, and enter name ``IDF_PATH``. The value should be the full path where ESP-IDF is installed. The IDF_PATH directory should be specified using forwards slashes not backslashes, ie *C:/Users/MyUser/Development/esp-idf*.
 
diff --git a/docs/eclipse-setup.rst b/docs/eclipse-setup.rst
index 1716dbf16..140e81e17 100644
--- a/docs/eclipse-setup.rst
+++ b/docs/eclipse-setup.rst
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ Project Properties
 
 * The new project will appear under Project Explorer. Right-click the project and choose Properties from the context menu.
 
-* Click on the "Environment" properties page under "C/C++ Build". Click "Add..." and enter name ``V`` and value ``1``.
+* Click on the "Environment" properties page under "C/C++ Build". Click "Add..." and enter name ``BATCH_BUILD`` and value ``1``.
 
 * Click "Add..." again, and enter name ``IDF_PATH``. The value should be the full path where ESP-IDF is installed.
 
diff --git a/make/build_examples.sh b/make/build_examples.sh
index e85ec26a7..ee429309e 100755
--- a/make/build_examples.sh
+++ b/make/build_examples.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 #
 [ -z ${IDF_PATH} ] && echo "IDF_PATH is not set" && exit 1
 
+export BATCH_BUILD=1
+export V=0 # only build verbose if there's an error
+
 EXAMPLE_NUM=1
 RESULT=0
 FAILED_EXAMPLES=""
@@ -36,7 +39,7 @@ for category in ${IDF_PATH}/examples/*; do
             set -e
             make clean defconfig
             make $* all 2>&1 | tee $BUILDLOG
-        ) || { RESULT=$?; FAILED_EXAMPLES+=" ${example}"; make V=1; } # only build verbose if there's an error
+        ) || { RESULT=$?; FAILED_EXAMPLES+=" ${example}"; make V=1; } # verbose output for errors
         popd
         EXAMPLE_NUM=$(( $EXAMPLE_NUM + 1 ))
 
diff --git a/make/common.mk b/make/common.mk
index 4281bad94..41a87b3a6 100644
--- a/make/common.mk
+++ b/make/common.mk
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ SDKCONFIG_MAKEFILE ?= $(abspath $(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/include/config/auto.conf)
 include $(SDKCONFIG_MAKEFILE)
 export SDKCONFIG_MAKEFILE  # sub-makes (like bootloader) will reuse this path
 
+# BATCH_BUILD flag disables interactive terminal features, defaults to verbose build
+ifdef BATCH_BUILD
+V ?= 1
+endif
+
 #Handling of V=1/VERBOSE=1 flag
 #
 # if V=1, $(summary) does nothing and $(details) will echo extra details
diff --git a/make/project_config.mk b/make/project_config.mk
index 3537f786b..c0369f95f 100644
--- a/make/project_config.mk
+++ b/make/project_config.mk
@@ -56,7 +56,15 @@ ifeq ("$(MAKE_RESTARTS)","")
 
 menuconfig: $(KCONFIG_TOOL_DIR)/mconf
 	$(summary) MENUCONFIG
+ifdef BATCH_BUILD
+	@echo "Can't run interactive configuration inside non-interactive build process."
+	@echo ""
+	@echo "Open a command line terminal and run 'make menuconfig' from there."
+	@echo "See esp-idf documentation for more details."
+	@exit 1
+else
 	$(call RunConf,mconf)
+endif
 
 # defconfig creates a default config, based on SDKCONFIG_DEFAULTS if present
 defconfig: $(KCONFIG_TOOL_DIR)/conf
@@ -70,6 +78,9 @@ endif
 # ensure generated config files are up to date
 $(SDKCONFIG_MAKEFILE) $(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/include/sdkconfig.h: $(KCONFIG_TOOL_DIR)/conf $(SDKCONFIG) $(COMPONENT_KCONFIGS) $(COMPONENT_KCONFIGS_PROJBUILD) | $(call prereq_if_explicit,defconfig) $(call prereq_if_explicit,menuconfig)
 	$(summary) GENCONFIG
+ifdef BATCH_BUILD  # can't prompt for new config values like on terminal
+	$(call RunConf,conf --olddefconfig)
+endif
 	$(call RunConf,conf --silentoldconfig)
 	touch $(SDKCONFIG_MAKEFILE) $(BUILD_DIR_BASE)/include/sdkconfig.h  # ensure newer than sdkconfig
 
diff --git a/tools/windows/eclipse_make.py b/tools/windows/eclipse_make.py
index 572e171e2..e65cfc9cc 100644
--- a/tools/windows/eclipse_make.py
+++ b/tools/windows/eclipse_make.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ def check_path(path):
 
 def main():
     print("Running make in '%s'" % check_path(os.getcwd()))
-    make = subprocess.Popen(["make"] + sys.argv[1:] + ["V=1"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
+    make = subprocess.Popen(["make"] + sys.argv[1:] + ["BATCH_BUILD=1"], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
     for line in iter(make.stdout.readline, ''):
          line = re.sub(UNIX_PATH_RE, lambda m: check_path(m.group(0)), line)
          print(line.rstrip())