diff --git a/usr.bin/patch/common.h b/usr.bin/patch/common.h
index 7e6ee179117b..cf69f2c0920e 100644
--- a/usr.bin/patch/common.h
+++ b/usr.bin/patch/common.h
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: common.h,v 1.16 2003/07/30 08:51:55 itojun Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: common.h,v 1.17 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1988, Larry Wall
@@ -90,6 +90,9 @@ typedef int LINENUM;			/* must be signed */
 EXT int Argc;				/* guess */
 EXT char **Argv;
 
+/* TRUE if -C was specified on command line.  */
+EXT int check_only;
+
 EXT struct stat filestat;		/* file statistics area */
 EXT mode_t filemode INIT(0644);
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/patch/patch.1 b/usr.bin/patch/patch.1
index 4819958f47cb..f8714ff25aa6 100644
--- a/usr.bin/patch/patch.1
+++ b/usr.bin/patch/patch.1
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-.\"	$NetBSD: patch.1,v 1.9 2003/01/06 12:48:06 wiz Exp $ -*- nroff -*-
+.\"	$NetBSD: patch.1,v 1.10 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $ -*- nroff -*-
 .rn '' }`
 .de Sh
 .br
@@ -226,6 +226,11 @@ forces
 .I patch
 to interpret the patch file as a context diff.
 .TP 5
+.B \-C or \-\-dry\-run
+causes
+.I patch 
+to report what would be done, but not to actully modify any files or create any rejects.
+.TP 5
 .B \-d or \-\-directory
 causes
 .I patch
diff --git a/usr.bin/patch/patch.c b/usr.bin/patch/patch.c
index 7a2e041a9d59..e5be242443a4 100644
--- a/usr.bin/patch/patch.c
+++ b/usr.bin/patch/patch.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: patch.c,v 1.22 2004/12/09 18:06:10 mycroft Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: patch.c,v 1.23 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $	*/
 
 /* patch - a program to apply diffs to original files
  *
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #ifndef lint
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: patch.c,v 1.22 2004/12/09 18:06:10 mycroft Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: patch.c,v 1.23 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $");
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include "INTERN.h"
@@ -83,6 +83,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     myuid = getuid();
 
+    check_only = FALSE;
+
     /* Cons up the names of the temporary files.  */
     {
       /* Directory for temporary files.  */
@@ -398,10 +400,10 @@ decode_long_option(char *opt)
      */
     static struct option options[] = {
       { "batch",		't' },
-      { "check",		'C' },
       { "context",		'c' },
       { "debug",		'x' },
       { "directory",		'd' },
+      { "dry-run",		'C' },
       { "ed",			'e' },
       { "force",		'f' },
       { "forward",		'N' },
@@ -477,6 +479,9 @@ exclusive\n");
 		case 'c':
 		    diff_type = CONTEXT_DIFF;
 		    break;
+		case 'C':
+		    check_only = TRUE;
+		    break;
 		case 'd':
 		    if (!*++s)
 			s = nextarg();
diff --git a/usr.bin/patch/util.c b/usr.bin/patch/util.c
index a1381dd7fbb1..0437bb4e673b 100644
--- a/usr.bin/patch/util.c
+++ b/usr.bin/patch/util.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/*	$NetBSD: util.c,v 1.20 2004/10/30 21:52:09 dsl Exp $	*/
+/*	$NetBSD: util.c,v 1.21 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $	*/
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 1988, Larry Wall
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 #ifndef lint
-__RCSID("$NetBSD: util.c,v 1.20 2004/10/30 21:52:09 dsl Exp $");
+__RCSID("$NetBSD: util.c,v 1.21 2005/03/25 23:00:55 skd Exp $");
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #include <sys/param.h>
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ move_file(char *from, char *to)
 	size_t i;
 	int fromfd;
 
+	if ( check_only == TRUE )
+		return(0);
+
 	/* to stdout? */
 
 	if (strEQ(to, "-")) {