diff --git a/scripts/portal-down.sh b/scripts/portal-down.sh
index b2a9593c..0b42b53a 100755
--- a/scripts/portal-down.sh
+++ b/scripts/portal-down.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 
 set -e # exit on first error
 
+while getopts d:t: flag
+do
+    case "${flag}" in
+        d) delay=${OPTARG};;
+        t) timeout=${OPTARG};;
+    esac
+done
+delay=${delay:-0} # default to no delay
+timeout=${timeout:-300} # default timeout is 300s
+
 countdown() {
     local secs=$1
     while [ $secs -gt 0 ]; do
@@ -11,8 +21,11 @@ countdown() {
     done
 }
 
+# delay disabling the portal
+countdown $delay
+
 # stop healh-check so the server is taken our of load balancer
 docker exec health-check cli/disable
 
 # then wait 5 minutes for the load balancer to propagate the dns records
-countdown 300
+countdown $timeout
diff --git a/scripts/portal-restart.sh b/scripts/portal-restart.sh
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..354bfdbf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/portal-restart.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+set -e # exit on first error
+
+# get current working directory (pwd doesn't cut it)
+cwd=$(cd -P -- "$(dirname -- "$0")" && pwd -P)
+
+# put the server down for maintenance
+. ${cwd}/portal-down.sh
+
+# stop the docker services
+docker-compose down
+
+# start the docker services
+docker-compose up -d
+
+# enable the server again
+. ${cwd}/portal-up.sh
diff --git a/scripts/portal-upgrade.sh b/scripts/portal-upgrade.sh
index f63335bc..da863bca 100755
--- a/scripts/portal-upgrade.sh
+++ b/scripts/portal-upgrade.sh
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ docker system prune --force
 docker volume rm $(docker volume ls -q)
 
 # build all container without cache
-docker-compose build --no-cache
+docker-compose build --no-cache --parallel --pull --quiet
 
 # start the docker services
 docker-compose up -d