diff --git a/src/build-system.jam b/src/build-system.jam
index dbba935da..c4e3df8f9 100755
--- a/src/build-system.jam
+++ b/src/build-system.jam
@@ -41,6 +41,15 @@ rule location ( )
     return $(r:P) ;
 }
 
+# Returns the property set with the
+# free features from the currently processed
+# build request.
+rule command-line-free-features ( )
+{
+    return $(.command-line-free-features) ;
+}
+
+
 
 # Check if we can load 'test-config.jam'. If we can, load it and
 # ignore user configs.
@@ -399,6 +408,7 @@ local results-of-main-targets ;
 
 for local p in $(expanded)
 {
+    .command-line-free-features = [ property-set.create [ $(p).free ] ] ;
     for local t in $(targets)
     {   
         local g = [ $(t).generate $(p) ] ;
diff --git a/src/build/targets.jam b/src/build/targets.jam
index 0b1afa080..b42e75bb0 100644
--- a/src/build/targets.jam
+++ b/src/build/targets.jam
@@ -1057,6 +1057,7 @@ class basic-target : abstract-target
     import set sequence errors ;
     import "class" : new ;
     import property feature ;
+    import build-system ;
         
     rule __init__ ( name : project
         : sources * : requirements * : 
@@ -1185,12 +1186,21 @@ class basic-target : abstract-target
             local fn = [ full-name ] ;
             ECHO [ targets.indent ] "Building target '$(fn)'" ;
             targets.increase-indent ;
-            ECHO [ targets.indent ] "Build request: " [ $(property-set).raw ] ;
+            ECHO [ targets.indent ] "Build request: " [ $(property-set).raw ] ;            
+            local cf = [ build-system.command-line-free-features ] ;
+            ECHO [ targets.indent ] "Command line free features: "               
+              [ $(cf).raw ] ;
             ECHO [ targets.indent ] "Target requirements: " [ $(self.requirements).raw ] ;            
         }
                 
         if ! $(self.generated.$(property-set)) 
         {
+            # Apply free features form the command line.  If user
+            # said 
+            #   define=FOO
+            # he most likely want this define to be set for all compiles.
+            property-set = [ $(property-set).refine 
+              [ build-system.command-line-free-features ] ] ;
             local rproperties = [ targets.common-properties $(property-set) 
               $(self.requirements) ] ;           
             
diff --git a/test/free_features_request.py b/test/free_features_request.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d4ae0ca7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/free_features_request.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+#  Copyright (C) Vladimir Prus 2007.
+#  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See
+#  accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at
+#  http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+#  Tests that a free feature specified on the command
+#  line applies to all targets ever built.
+from BoostBuild import Tester, List
+
+
+t = Tester()
+
+t.write("Jamroot", """
+exe hello : hello.cpp foo ;
+lib foo : foo.cpp ;
+""")
+t.write("hello.cpp", """
+extern void foo();
+#ifdef FOO
+int main()
+{
+    foo();
+    return 0;
+}
+#endif
+""")
+
+t.write("foo.cpp", """
+#ifdef FOO
+void foo() {}
+#endif
+""")
+
+# If FOO is not defined when compiling the 'foo'
+# target, we'll get a link error at this point.
+t.run_build_system("hello define=FOO")
+
+t.expect_addition("bin/$toolset/debug/hello")
+
+t.cleanup()
diff --git a/test/test_all.py b/test/test_all.py
index 234a17680..9e21bc26a 100644
--- a/test/test_all.py
+++ b/test/test_all.py
@@ -150,6 +150,7 @@ tests = [ "rebuilds",
           "example_libraries",
           "example_make",
           "remove_requirement",
+          "free_features_request",
           ]
 
 if os.name == 'posix':