diff --git a/sys/event/periodic.c b/sys/event/periodic.c
index e493b0ee33..cba234b491 100644
--- a/sys/event/periodic.c
+++ b/sys/event/periodic.c
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ static int _event_periodic_callback(void *arg)
 
     event_post(event_periodic->queue, event_periodic->event);
 
-    return 0;
+    if (event_periodic->count && --event_periodic->count == 0) {
+        return !ZTIMER_PERIODIC_KEEP_GOING;
+    }
+
+    return ZTIMER_PERIODIC_KEEP_GOING;
 }
 
 void event_periodic_init(event_periodic_t *event_periodic,
@@ -37,6 +41,7 @@ void event_periodic_init(event_periodic_t *event_periodic,
 {
     ztimer_periodic_init(clock, &event_periodic->timer, _event_periodic_callback,
                          event_periodic, 0);
+    event_periodic->count = EVENT_PERIODIC_FOREVER;
     event_periodic->queue = queue;
     event_periodic->event = event;
 }
diff --git a/sys/include/event/periodic.h b/sys/include/event/periodic.h
index 408e8f0eef..8f786d7ba9 100644
--- a/sys/include/event/periodic.h
+++ b/sys/include/event/periodic.h
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @brief Run the periodic event forever
+ */
+#define EVENT_PERIODIC_FOREVER      0
+
 /**
  * @brief   Timeout Event structure
  */
@@ -50,10 +55,13 @@ typedef struct {
     ztimer_periodic_t timer;    /**< ztimer object used for timeout */
     event_queue_t *queue;       /**< event queue to post event to */
     event_t *event;             /**< event to post after timeout */
+    uint32_t count;             /**< times the event should repeat itself */
 } event_periodic_t;
 
 /**
- * @brief    Initialize a periodic event timeout
+ * @brief   Initialize a periodic event timeout
+ *
+ * @note: On init the periodic event is to to run forever.
  *
  * @param[in]       event_periodic  event_periodic object to initialize
  * @param[in]       clock           the clock to configure this timer on
@@ -73,16 +81,32 @@ void event_periodic_init(event_periodic_t *event_periodic, ztimer_clock_t *clock
  * @note: the used event_periodic struct must stay valid until after the timeout
  *        event has been processed!
  *
+ * @note: this function does not touch the current count value.
+ *
  * @param[in]   event_periodic   event_timout context object to use
  * @param[in]   interval         period length for the event
  */
-static inline void event_periodic_start(event_periodic_t *event_periodic,
-                                        uint32_t interval)
+static inline void event_periodic_start(event_periodic_t *event_periodic, uint32_t interval)
 {
     event_periodic->timer.interval = interval;
     ztimer_periodic_start(&event_periodic->timer);
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Set the amount of times the periodic event should repeat itself.
+ *
+ * @param[in]   event_periodic   event_timout context object to use
+ * @param[in]   count            times the event should repeat itself,
+ *                               EVENT_PERIODIC_FOREVER to run for ever.
+ */
+static inline void event_periodic_set_count(event_periodic_t *event_periodic, uint32_t count)
+{
+    unsigned state = irq_disable();
+
+    event_periodic->count = count;
+    irq_restore(state);
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief   Stop a periodic timeout event
  *
@@ -91,6 +115,10 @@ static inline void event_periodic_start(event_periodic_t *event_periodic,
  * connected event will be put already into the given event queue and this
  * function does not have any effect.
  *
+ * @note Calling this function does not touch event_periodic->count, if the
+ * periodic event was not set to run for ever and did run until expiration,
+ * then count will be != 0 after this function is called.
+ *
  * @param[in]   event_periodic  event_periodic_timeout context object to use
  */
 static inline void event_periodic_stop(event_periodic_t *event_periodic)
diff --git a/tests/event_ztimer/main.c b/tests/event_ztimer/main.c
index bd96db260d..54ebead68e 100644
--- a/tests/event_ztimer/main.c
+++ b/tests/event_ztimer/main.c
@@ -72,8 +72,14 @@ static void callback_4times(void *arg)
         printf("trigger %d of periodic timeout, elapsed time: %" PRIu32 " us\n",
                *count, elapsed);
     }
-    if (*count == 4) {
+    if (*count == 2) {
+        puts("stop periodic event");
         event_periodic_stop(&event_periodic);
+        puts("resume periodic event, 2 triggers remaining");
+        event_periodic_start(&event_periodic, EVENT_TIMEOUT_TIME);
+        before = event_periodic.timer.last;
+    }
+    if (*count == 4) {
         mutex_unlock(&lock);
     }
     else if (*count > 4) {
@@ -103,6 +109,7 @@ int main(void)
     puts("posting periodic timed callback with timeout 1sec");
     event_periodic_init(&event_periodic, ZTIMER_USEC, EVENT_PRIO_MEDIUM,
                         &event_4times.super);
+    event_periodic_set_count(&event_periodic, 4);
     event_periodic_start(&event_periodic, EVENT_TIMEOUT_TIME);
     before = event_periodic.timer.last;
     puts("waiting for periodic callback to be triggered 4 times");