diff --git a/ext/rubymain.cpp b/ext/rubymain.cpp
index b5e0425ce..a87267cc4 100644
--- a/ext/rubymain.cpp
+++ b/ext/rubymain.cpp
@@ -583,6 +583,44 @@ static VALUE t_get_sock_opt (VALUE self, VALUE signature, VALUE lev, VALUE optna
 	return rb_str_new(buf, len);
 }
 
+/**************
+t_set_sock_opt
+**************/
+
+static VALUE t_set_sock_opt (VALUE self, VALUE signature, VALUE lev, VALUE optname, VALUE optval)
+{
+	int fd = evma_get_file_descriptor (NUM2ULONG (signature));
+	int level = NUM2INT(lev), option = NUM2INT(optname);
+	int i;
+	void *v;
+	socklen_t len;
+
+	switch (TYPE(optval)) {
+	case T_FIXNUM:
+		i = FIX2INT(optval);
+		goto numval;
+	case T_FALSE:
+		i = 0;
+		goto numval;
+	case T_TRUE:
+		i = 1;
+		numval:
+		v = (void*)&i; len = sizeof(i);
+		break;
+	default:
+		StringValue(optval);
+		v = RSTRING_PTR(optval);
+		len = RSTRING_LENINT(optval);
+		break;
+	}
+
+
+	if (setsockopt(fd, level, option, v, len) < 0)
+		rb_sys_fail("setsockopt");
+
+	return INT2FIX(0);
+}
+
 /********************
 t_is_notify_readable
 ********************/
@@ -1133,6 +1171,7 @@ extern "C" void Init_rubyeventmachine()
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "attach_fd", (VALUE (*)(...))t_attach_fd, 2);
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "detach_fd", (VALUE (*)(...))t_detach_fd, 1);
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "get_sock_opt", (VALUE (*)(...))t_get_sock_opt, 3);
+	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "set_sock_opt", (VALUE (*)(...))t_set_sock_opt, 4);
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "set_notify_readable", (VALUE (*)(...))t_set_notify_readable, 2);
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "set_notify_writable", (VALUE (*)(...))t_set_notify_writable, 2);
 	rb_define_module_function (EmModule, "is_notify_readable", (VALUE (*)(...))t_is_notify_readable, 1);
diff --git a/lib/em/connection.rb b/lib/em/connection.rb
index 83b11fd00..14c3388dd 100644
--- a/lib/em/connection.rb
+++ b/lib/em/connection.rb
@@ -270,6 +270,10 @@ def get_sock_opt level, option
       EventMachine::get_sock_opt @signature, level, option
     end
 
+    def set_sock_opt level, optname, optval
+      EventMachine::set_sock_opt @signature, level, optname, optval
+    end
+
     # A variant of {#close_connection}.
     # All of the descriptive comments given for close_connection also apply to
     # close_connection_after_writing, *with one exception*: if the connection has
diff --git a/tests/test_set_sock_opt.rb b/tests/test_set_sock_opt.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3d3020a94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_set_sock_opt.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+require 'em_test_helper'
+require 'socket'
+
+class TestSetSockOpt < Test::Unit::TestCase
+
+  if EM.respond_to? :set_sock_opt
+    def setup
+      assert(!EM.reactor_running?)
+    end
+
+    def teardown
+      assert(!EM.reactor_running?)
+    end
+
+    #-------------------------------------
+
+    def test_set_sock_opt
+      test = self
+      EM.run do
+        EM.connect 'google.com', 80, Module.new {
+          define_method :post_init do
+            val = set_sock_opt Socket::SOL_SOCKET, Socket::SO_DEBUG, true
+            test.assert_equal 0, val
+            EM.stop
+          end
+        }
+      end
+    end
+  else
+    warn "EM.set_sock_opt not implemented, skipping tests in #{__FILE__}"
+
+    # Because some rubies will complain if a TestCase class has no tests
+    def test_em_set_sock_opt_unsupported
+      assert true
+    end
+  end
+end