diff --git a/bin/_mocha b/bin/_mocha
index 86c67e2942..37d6d566f2 100755
--- a/bin/_mocha
+++ b/bin/_mocha
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ program
   .option('-A, --async-only', "force all tests to take a callback (async)")
   .option('-C, --no-colors', 'force disabling of colors')
   .option('-G, --growl', 'enable growl notification support')
+  .option('-O, --reporter-options <k=v,k2=v2,...>', 'reporter-specific options')
   .option('-R, --reporter <name>', 'specify the reporter to use', 'spec')
   .option('-S, --sort', "sort test files")
   .option('-b, --bail', "bail after first test failure")
@@ -190,9 +191,22 @@ program.parse(process.argv);
 
 Error.stackTraceLimit = Infinity; // TODO: config
 
+// reporter options
+
+var reporterOptions = {};
+if (program.reporterOptions !== undefined) {
+    program.reporterOptions.split(",").forEach(function(opt) {
+        var L = opt.split("=");
+        if (L.length != 2) {
+            throw new Error("invalid reporter option '" + opt + "'");
+        }
+        reporterOptions[L[0]] = L[1];
+    });
+}
+
 // reporter
 
-mocha.reporter(program.reporter);
+mocha.reporter(program.reporter, reporterOptions);
 
 // interface
 
diff --git a/lib/mocha.js b/lib/mocha.js
index 69e273f9b7..a224112b4d 100644
--- a/lib/mocha.js
+++ b/lib/mocha.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ function Mocha(options) {
   this.suite = new exports.Suite('', new exports.Context);
   this.ui(options.ui);
   this.bail(options.bail);
-  this.reporter(options.reporter);
+  this.reporter(options.reporter, options.reporterOptions);
   if (null != options.timeout) this.timeout(options.timeout);
   this.useColors(options.useColors)
   if (options.slow) this.slow(options.slow);
@@ -119,10 +119,10 @@ Mocha.prototype.addFile = function(file){
  * Set reporter to `reporter`, defaults to "spec".
  *
  * @param {String|Function} reporter name or constructor
+ * @param {Object} reporterOptions optional options
  * @api public
  */
-
-Mocha.prototype.reporter = function(reporter){
+Mocha.prototype.reporter = function(reporter, reporterOptions){
   if ('function' == typeof reporter) {
     this._reporter = reporter;
   } else {
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ Mocha.prototype.reporter = function(reporter){
     if (!_reporter) throw new Error('invalid reporter "' + reporter + '"');
     this._reporter = _reporter;
   }
+  this.options.reporterOptions = reporterOptions;
   return this;
 };