diff --git a/po/template.pot b/po/template.pot
index d23ed267..7e5bd21d 100644
--- a/po/template.pot
+++ b/po/template.pot
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 #, fuzzy
 msgid ""
 msgstr ""
-"Project-Id-Version: Pure Data 0.49.0\n"
+"Project-Id-Version: Pure Data 0.50.0\n"
 "Report-Msgid-Bugs-To: pd-dev@iem.at\n"
 "PO-Revision-Date: YEAR-MO-DA HO:MI+ZONE\n"
 "Last-Translator: FULL NAME <EMAIL@ADDRESS>\n"
diff --git a/src/g_canvas.c b/src/g_canvas.c
index cd9098e9..fe0a6d4a 100644
--- a/src/g_canvas.c
+++ b/src/g_canvas.c
@@ -1659,6 +1659,34 @@ static void canvas_stdlib(t_canvasenvironment *e, const char *stdlib)
     }
 }
 
+static void canvas_jackname(t_canvasenvironment *e, const char *jackname)
+{
+    t_namelist *nl;
+    char strbuf[MAXPDSTRING];
+
+#ifdef USEAPI_JACK
+    sys_close_audio();
+    sys_set_audio_api(API_JACK), jack_client_name(jackname);
+    sys_reopen_audio();
+#else
+   fprintf(stderr, "Pd compiled without JACK-support, ignoring '%s' flag\n", *argv);
+#endif
+    return;
+}
+
+static void canvas_alsamidiname(t_canvasenvironment *e, const char *alsamidiname)
+{
+    t_namelist *nl;
+    char strbuf[MAXPDSTRING];
+
+#ifdef USEAPI_ALSA
+    midi_alsa_client_name(alsamidiname);
+    sys_reopen_midi();
+#else
+   fprintf(stderr, "Pd compiled without MIDIALSA-support, ignoring '%s' flag\n", *argv);
+#endif
+    return;
+}
 
 void canvas_declare(t_canvas *x, t_symbol *s, int argc, t_atom *argv)
 {
@@ -1692,6 +1720,16 @@ void canvas_declare(t_canvas *x, t_symbol *s, int argc, t_atom *argv)
             canvas_stdlib(e, atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name);
             i++;
         }
+        else if ((argc > i+1) && !strcmp(flag, "-jackname"))
+        {
+            canvas_jackname(e, atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name);
+            i++;
+        }
+        else if ((argc > i+1) && !strcmp(flag, "-alsamidiname"))
+        {
+            canvas_alsamidiname(e, atom_getsymbolarg(i+1, argc, argv)->s_name);
+            i++;
+        }
         else post("declare: %s: unknown declaration", flag);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/s_midi_alsa.c b/src/s_midi_alsa.c
index 0c6bba90..3d0fb33b 100644
--- a/src/s_midi_alsa.c
+++ b/src/s_midi_alsa.c
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ static snd_seq_t *midi_handle;
 
 static snd_midi_event_t *midiev;
 
+static char * desired_midiport_name = NULL;
+
 void sys_alsa_do_open_midi(int nmidiin, int *midiinvec,
     int nmidiout, int *midioutvec)
 {
@@ -89,7 +91,10 @@ void sys_alsa_do_open_midi(int nmidiin, int *midiinvec,
     for (i = 0; i < nmidiin; i++)
     {
         int port;
-        sprintf(portname, "Pure Data Midi-In %d", i+1);
+        if(desired_midiport_name != NULL)
+            sprintf(portname,"%s-%3d",desired_midiport_name,i+1);
+        else
+            sprintf(portname, "Pure Data Midi-In %d", i+1);
         port = snd_seq_create_simple_port(midi_handle,portname,
                                           SND_SEQ_PORT_CAP_WRITE | SND_SEQ_PORT_CAP_SUBS_WRITE,
                                           SND_SEQ_PORT_TYPE_APPLICATION);
@@ -100,7 +105,10 @@ void sys_alsa_do_open_midi(int nmidiin, int *midiinvec,
     for (i = 0; i < nmidiout; i++)
     {
         int port;
-        sprintf(portname,"Pure Data Midi-Out %d", i+1);
+        if(desired_midiport_name != NULL)
+            sprintf(portname,"%s-%3d",desired_midiport_name,i+1);
+        else
+            sprintf(portname,"Pure Data Midi-Out %d", i+1);
         port = snd_seq_create_simple_port(midi_handle,portname,
                                           SND_SEQ_PORT_CAP_READ | SND_SEQ_PORT_CAP_SUBS_READ,
                                           SND_SEQ_PORT_TYPE_APPLICATION);
@@ -110,7 +118,10 @@ void sys_alsa_do_open_midi(int nmidiin, int *midiinvec,
 
     snd_seq_client_info_malloc(&alsainfo);
     snd_seq_get_client_info(midi_handle, alsainfo);
-    snd_seq_client_info_set_name(alsainfo,"Pure Data");
+    if(desired_midiport_name != NULL)
+        snd_seq_client_info_set_name(alsainfo,desired_midiport_name);
+    else
+        snd_seq_client_info_set_name(alsainfo,"Pure Data");
     client = snd_seq_client_info_get_client(alsainfo);
     snd_seq_set_client_info(midi_handle, alsainfo);
     snd_seq_client_info_free(alsainfo);
@@ -285,3 +296,17 @@ void midi_alsa_getdevs(char *indevlist, int *nindevs,
         sprintf(outdevlist + i * devdescsize, "ALSA MIDI device #%d", i+1);
     *noutdevs = ndev;
 }
+
+void midi_alsa_client_name(char *name)
+{
+    if (desired_midiport_name) {
+      free(desired_midiport_name);
+      desired_midiport_name = NULL;
+    }
+    if (name) {
+      if(strlen(name)>(49-4))
+            name[49-4]=0;
+      desired_midiport_name = (char*)getbytes(strlen(name) + 1);
+      strcpy(desired_midiport_name, name);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/s_stuff.h b/src/s_stuff.h
index 00ca5297..babe3081 100644
--- a/src/s_stuff.h
+++ b/src/s_stuff.h
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ EXTERN void sys_alsa_close_midi(void);
     /* implemented in the system dependent MIDI code (s_midi_pm.c, etc. ) */
 void midi_alsa_getdevs(char *indevlist, int *nindevs,
     char *outdevlist, int *noutdevs, int maxndev, int devdescsize);
+void midi_alsa_client_name(char *name);
 void sys_alsa_do_open_midi(int nmidiindev, int *midiindev,
     int nmidioutdev, int *midioutdev);
 #endif