diff --git a/g10/build-packet.c b/g10/build-packet.c
index 21cd004a8..86d42efe1 100644
--- a/g10/build-packet.c
+++ b/g10/build-packet.c
@@ -635,6 +635,7 @@ do_plaintext( IOBUF out, int ctb, PKT_plaintext *pt )
 
     write_header(out, ctb, calc_plaintext( pt ) );
     log_assert (pt->mode == 'b' || pt->mode == 't' || pt->mode == 'u'
+                || pt->mode == 'm'
                 || pt->mode == 'l' || pt->mode == '1');
     iobuf_put(out, pt->mode );
     iobuf_put(out, pt->namelen );
diff --git a/g10/encrypt.c b/g10/encrypt.c
index 57d24bef1..54a17c31e 100644
--- a/g10/encrypt.c
+++ b/g10/encrypt.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ encrypt_simple (const char *filename, int mode, int use_seskey)
     {
       /* Note that PT has been initialized above in !no_literal mode.  */
       pt->timestamp = make_timestamp();
-      pt->mode = opt.textmode? 't' : 'b';
+      pt->mode = opt.mimemode? 'm' : opt.textmode? 't' : 'b';
       pt->len = filesize;
       pt->new_ctb = !pt->len;
       pt->buf = inp;
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ encrypt_crypt (ctrl_t ctrl, int filefd, const char *filename,
   if (!opt.no_literal)
     {
       pt->timestamp = make_timestamp();
-      pt->mode = opt.textmode ? 't' : 'b';
+      pt->mode = opt.mimemode? 'm' : opt.textmode ? 't' : 'b';
       pt->len = filesize;
       pt->new_ctb = !pt->len;
       pt->buf = inp;
diff --git a/g10/gpg.c b/g10/gpg.c
index 34009bb3a..4232a840b 100644
--- a/g10/gpg.c
+++ b/g10/gpg.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ enum cmd_and_opt_values
     aServer,
     aTOFUPolicy,
 
+    oMimemode,
     oTextmode,
     oNoTextmode,
     oExpert,
@@ -532,7 +533,8 @@ static ARGPARSE_OPTS opts[] = {
   ARGPARSE_s_i (oBZ2CompressLevel, "bzip2-compress-level", "@"),
   ARGPARSE_s_n (oBZ2DecompressLowmem, "bzip2-decompress-lowmem", "@"),
 
-  ARGPARSE_s_n (oTextmodeShort, NULL, "@"),
+  ARGPARSE_s_n (oMimemode, "mimemode", "@"),
+  ARGPARSE_s_n (oTextmode,      "textmode", N_("use canonical text mode")),
   ARGPARSE_s_n (oTextmode,      "textmode", N_("use canonical text mode")),
   ARGPARSE_s_n (oNoTextmode, "no-textmode", "@"),
 
@@ -2887,9 +2889,11 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
                              pargs.r.ret_str, utf8_strings);
 	    break;
 
+          case oMimemode: opt.mimemode = opt.textmode = 1; break;
 	  case oTextmodeShort: opt.textmode = 2; break;
 	  case oTextmode: opt.textmode=1;  break;
-	  case oNoTextmode: opt.textmode=0;  break;
+	  case oNoTextmode: opt.textmode=opt.mimemode=0;  break;
+
 	  case oExpert: opt.expert = 1; break;
 	  case oNoExpert: opt.expert = 0; break;
 	  case oDefSigExpire:
@@ -3447,6 +3451,10 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 
     if (opt.flags.rfc4880bis)
 	log_info ("WARNING: using experimental features from RFC4880bis!\n");
+    else
+      {
+        opt.mimemode = 0; /* This will use text mode instead.  */
+      }
 
     if (eyes_only) {
       if (opt.set_filename)
diff --git a/g10/options.h b/g10/options.h
index 2b3cabdf7..3c4f0fe38 100644
--- a/g10/options.h
+++ b/g10/options.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ struct
   int dry_run;
   int autostart;
   int list_only;
+  int mimemode;
   int textmode;
   int expert;
   const char *def_sig_expire;
diff --git a/g10/plaintext.c b/g10/plaintext.c
index e118f6b4d..c9fb67cdc 100644
--- a/g10/plaintext.c
+++ b/g10/plaintext.c
@@ -217,11 +217,16 @@ handle_plaintext (PKT_plaintext * pt, md_filter_context_t * mfx,
   static off_t count = 0;
   int err = 0;
   int c;
-  int convert = (pt->mode == 't' || pt->mode == 'u');
+  int convert;
 #ifdef __riscos__
   int filetype = 0xfff;
 #endif
 
+  if (pt->mode == 't' || pt->mode == 'u' || pt->mode == 'm')
+    convert = pt->mode;
+  else
+    convert = 0;
+
   /* Let people know what the plaintext info is. This allows the
      receiving program to try and do something different based on the
      format code (say, recode UTF-8 to local). */
@@ -279,8 +284,10 @@ handle_plaintext (PKT_plaintext * pt, md_filter_context_t * mfx,
 	      if (mfx->md)
 		gcry_md_putc (mfx->md, c);
 #ifndef HAVE_DOSISH_SYSTEM
-	      if (c == '\r')	/* convert to native line ending */
-		continue;	/* fixme: this hack might be too simple */
+              /* Convert to native line ending. */
+              /* fixme: this hack might be too simple */
+	      if (c == '\r' && convert != 'm')
+		continue;
 #endif
 	      if (fp)
 		{
@@ -354,7 +361,7 @@ handle_plaintext (PKT_plaintext * pt, md_filter_context_t * mfx,
 	      if (mfx->md)
 		gcry_md_putc (mfx->md, c);
 #ifndef HAVE_DOSISH_SYSTEM
-	      if (convert && c == '\r')
+	      if (c == '\r' && convert != 'm')
 		continue;	/* fixme: this hack might be too simple */
 #endif
 	      if (fp)
diff --git a/g10/sign.c b/g10/sign.c
index 0f16e96e1..6a7a87e03 100644
--- a/g10/sign.c
+++ b/g10/sign.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ write_plaintext_packet (IOBUF out, IOBUF inp, const char *fname, int ptmode)
          * data, it is not possible to know the used length
          * without a double read of the file - to avoid that
          * we simple use partial length packets. */
-        if ( ptmode == 't' )
+        if ( ptmode == 't' || ptmode == 'u' || ptmode == 'm')
 	  filesize = 0;
       }
     else
@@ -1033,7 +1033,8 @@ sign_file (ctrl_t ctrl, strlist_t filenames, int detached, strlist_t locusr,
     }
     else {
         rc = write_plaintext_packet (out, inp, fname,
-                                     opt.textmode && !outfile ? 't':'b');
+                                     opt.textmode && !outfile ?
+                                     (opt.mimemode? 'm':'t'):'b');
     }
 
     /* catch errors from above */
@@ -1337,7 +1338,8 @@ sign_symencrypt_file (ctrl_t ctrl, const char *fname, strlist_t locusr)
 
     /* Pipe data through all filters; i.e. write the signed stuff */
     /*(current filters: zip - encrypt - armor)*/
-    rc = write_plaintext_packet (out, inp, fname, opt.textmode ? 't':'b');
+    rc = write_plaintext_packet (out, inp, fname,
+                                 opt.textmode ? (opt.mimemode?'m':'t'):'b');
     if (rc)
 	goto leave;