diff --git a/master/buildbot/process/buildstep.py b/master/buildbot/process/buildstep.py
index df76efa5337..2a3c8c84dad 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/process/buildstep.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/process/buildstep.py
@@ -43,11 +43,12 @@ class RemoteCommand(pb.Referenceable):
     debug = False
 
     def __init__(self, remote_command, args, ignore_updates=False,
-            collectStdout=False, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
+            collectStdout=False, collectStderr=False, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
         self.logs = {}
         self.delayedLogs = {}
         self._closeWhenFinished = {}
         self.collectStdout = collectStdout
+        self.collectStderr = collectStderr
         self.stdout = ''
 
         self._startTime = None
@@ -206,6 +207,8 @@ def addStdout(self, data):
     def addStderr(self, data):
         if 'stdio' in self.logs:
             self.logs['stdio'].addStderr(data)
+        if self.collectStderr:
+            self.stderr += data
 
     def addHeader(self, data):
         if 'stdio' in self.logs:
@@ -354,7 +357,8 @@ def __init__(self, workdir, command, env=None,
                  want_stdout=1, want_stderr=1,
                  timeout=20*60, maxTime=None, logfiles={},
                  usePTY="slave-config", logEnviron=True,
-                 collectStdout=False, interruptSignal=None,
+                 collectStdout=False,collectStderr=False,
+                 interruptSignal=None,
                  initialStdin=None, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
 
         self.command = command # stash .command, set it later
@@ -377,7 +381,8 @@ def __init__(self, workdir, command, env=None,
         if interruptSignal is not None:
             args['interruptSignal'] = interruptSignal
         RemoteCommand.__init__(self, "shell", args, collectStdout=collectStdout,
-                decodeRC=decodeRC)
+                               collectStderr=collectStderr,
+                               decodeRC=decodeRC)
 
     def _start(self):
         self.args['command'] = self.command
diff --git a/master/buildbot/test/fake/remotecommand.py b/master/buildbot/test/fake/remotecommand.py
index a9e9ae7ff8d..13ed80b31e2 100644
--- a/master/buildbot/test/fake/remotecommand.py
+++ b/master/buildbot/test/fake/remotecommand.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class FakeRemoteCommand(object):
     active = False
 
     def __init__(self, remote_command, args,
-            ignore_updates=False, collectStdout=False, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
+            ignore_updates=False, collectStdout=False, collectStderr=False, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
         # copy the args and set a few defaults
         self.remote_command = remote_command
         self.args = args.copy()
@@ -36,10 +36,13 @@ def __init__(self, remote_command, args,
         self.delayedLogs = {}
         self.rc = -999
         self.collectStdout = collectStdout
+        self.collectStderr = collectStderr
         self.updates = {}
         self.decodeRC = decodeRC
         if collectStdout:
             self.stdout = ''
+        if collectStderr:
+            self.stderr = ''
 
     def run(self, step, remote):
         # delegate back to the test case
@@ -76,6 +79,7 @@ def __init__(self, workdir, command, env=None,
                  want_stdout=1, want_stderr=1,
                  timeout=20*60, maxTime=None, logfiles={},
                  usePTY="slave-config", logEnviron=True, collectStdout=False,
+                 collectStderr=False,
                  interruptSignal=None, initialStdin=None, decodeRC={0:SUCCESS}):
         args = dict(workdir=workdir, command=command, env=env or {},
                 want_stdout=want_stdout, want_stderr=want_stderr,
@@ -83,7 +87,9 @@ def __init__(self, workdir, command, env=None,
                 timeout=timeout, maxTime=maxTime, logfiles=logfiles,
                 usePTY=usePTY, logEnviron=logEnviron)
         FakeRemoteCommand.__init__(self, "shell", args,
-                collectStdout=collectStdout, decodeRC=decodeRC)
+                                   collectStdout=collectStdout,
+                                   collectStderr=collectStderr,
+                                   decodeRC=decodeRC)
 
 
 class FakeLogFile(object):
@@ -247,6 +253,8 @@ def runBehavior(self, behavior, args, command):
                     command.stdout += streams['stdout']
             if 'stderr' in streams:
                 command.logs[name].addStderr(streams['stderr'])
+                if command.collectStderr:
+                    command.stderr += streams['stderr']
         elif behavior == 'callable':
             return defer.maybeDeferred(lambda : args[0](command))
         else: