diff --git a/g10/ChangeLog b/g10/ChangeLog
index 4f0ca21ed..0c25ea443 100644
--- a/g10/ChangeLog
+++ b/g10/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2002-01-26  Werner Koch  <wk@gnupg.org>
+
+	* g10.c, options.h: New option --gpg-agent-info
+	* passphrase.c (agent_open): Let it override the environment info.
+	* seckey-cert.c (check_secret_key): Always try 3 times when the
+	agent is enabled.
+	* options.skel: Describe --use-agent.
+
 2002-01-24  David Shaw  <dshaw@jabberwocky.com>
 
 	* pubkey-enc.c (is_algo_in_prefs, get_it): Only check preferences
diff --git a/g10/g10.c b/g10/g10.c
index d2c010db3..47f07325c 100644
--- a/g10/g10.c
+++ b/g10/g10.c
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ enum cmd_and_opt_values { aNull = 0,
     oAutoKeyRetrieve,
     oNoAutoKeyRetrieve,
     oUseAgent,
+    oGpgAgentInfo,
     oMergeOnly,
     oTryAllSecrets,
     oTrustedKey,
@@ -358,6 +359,7 @@ static ARGPARSE_OPTS opts[] = {
     { oDryRun, "dry-run",   0, N_("do not make any changes") },
   /*{ oInteractive, "interactive", 0, N_("prompt before overwriting") }, */
     { oUseAgent, "use-agent",0, N_("use the gpg-agent")},
+    { oGpgAgentInfo, "gpg-agent-info",2, "@"},
     { oBatch, "batch",     0, N_("batch mode: never ask")},
     { oAnswerYes, "yes",       0, N_("assume yes on most questions")},
     { oAnswerNo,  "no",        0, N_("assume no on most questions")},
@@ -952,6 +954,7 @@ main( int argc, char **argv )
             not_implemented("use-agent");
 #endif /* __riscos__ */
             break;
+	  case oGpgAgentInfo: opt.gpg_agent_info = pargs.r.ret_str; break;
 	  case oAnswerYes: opt.answer_yes = 1; break;
 	  case oAnswerNo: opt.answer_no = 1; break;
 	  case oKeyring: append_to_strlist( &nrings, pargs.r.ret_str); break;
diff --git a/g10/options.h b/g10/options.h
index 820cf280d..59d3928bc 100644
--- a/g10/options.h
+++ b/g10/options.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ struct {
     const char *override_session_key;
     int show_session_key;
     int use_agent;
+    const char *gpg_agent_info;
     int merge_only;
     int try_all_secrets;
     int no_expensive_trust_checks;
diff --git a/g10/options.skel b/g10/options.skel
index 79410d85b..4fac1df4c 100644
--- a/g10/options.skel
+++ b/g10/options.skel
@@ -180,3 +180,27 @@ lock-once
 #
 # Use your MIME handler to view photos:
 # photo-viewer "metamail -q -d -b -c image/jpeg -s 'KeyID 0x%k' -f GnuPG"
+
+
+# Passphrase agent
+#
+# We support the old experimental passphrase agent protocol as well
+# as the new Assuan based one (currently available in the "newpg" package
+# at ftp.gnupg.org/gcrypt/alpha/aegypten/).  To make use of the agent, you have
+# to run an agent as daemon and use the option
+#
+# use-agent
+# 
+# which tries to use the agent but will fallback to the regular mode
+# if there is a problem connecting to the agent.  The normal way to
+# locate the agent is by looking at the environment variable
+# GPG_AGENT_INFO which should have been set during gpg-agent startup.
+# In certain situations the use of this variable is not possible, thus
+# the option
+# 
+# --gpg-agent-info=<path>:<pid>:1
+#
+# may be used to override it.
+#
+
+
diff --git a/g10/passphrase.c b/g10/passphrase.c
index 64a43d4eb..38629e758 100644
--- a/g10/passphrase.c
+++ b/g10/passphrase.c
@@ -368,13 +368,19 @@ agent_open (int *ret_prot)
     size_t len;
     int prot;
 
-    infostr = getenv ( "GPG_AGENT_INFO" );
-    if ( !infostr ) {
-        log_error (_("gpg-agent is not available in this session\n"));
-        opt.use_agent = 0;
-        return -1;
-    }
-    infostr = m_strdup ( infostr );
+    if (opt.gpg_agent_info)
+      infostr = m_strdup (opt.gpg_agent_info);
+    else
+      {
+        infostr = getenv ( "GPG_AGENT_INFO" );
+        if ( !infostr ) {
+          log_error (_("gpg-agent is not available in this session\n"));
+          opt.use_agent = 0;
+          return -1;
+        }
+        infostr = m_strdup ( infostr );
+      }
+
     if ( !(p = strchr ( infostr, ':')) || p == infostr
          || (p-infostr)+1 >= sizeof client_addr.sun_path ) {
         log_error( _("malformed GPG_AGENT_INFO environment variable\n"));
diff --git a/g10/seckey-cert.c b/g10/seckey-cert.c
index b1780b1f9..aeb67d85a 100644
--- a/g10/seckey-cert.c
+++ b/g10/seckey-cert.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ check_secret_key( PKT_secret_key *sk, int n )
     int i;
 
     if( n < 1 )
-	n = opt.batch? 1 : 3; /* use the default value */
+	n = (opt.batch && !opt.use_agent)? 1 : 3; /* use the default value */
 
     for(i=0; i < n && rc == G10ERR_BAD_PASS; i++ ) {
         const char *tryagain = NULL;