diff --git a/lib/redis/client.rb b/lib/redis/client.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index e4d0574a9..695ca71bb
--- a/lib/redis/client.rb
+++ b/lib/redis/client.rb
@@ -483,6 +483,10 @@ def check(client)
       end
 
       class Sentinel < Connector
+        EXPECTED_ROLES = {
+          "nearest_slave" => "slave"
+        }
+
         def initialize(options)
           super(options)
 
@@ -502,12 +506,12 @@ def check(client)
             role = client.call([:role])[0]
           rescue Redis::CommandError
             # Assume the test is passed if we can't get a reply from ROLE...
-            role = @role
+            role = EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)
           end
 
-          if role != @role
+          if role != EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)
             client.disconnect
-            raise ConnectionError, "Instance role mismatch. Expected #{@role}, got #{role}."
+            raise ConnectionError, "Instance role mismatch. Expected #{EXPECTED_ROLES.fetch(@role, @role)}, got #{role}."
           end
         end
 
@@ -517,6 +521,8 @@ def resolve
                      resolve_master
                    when "slave"
                      resolve_slave
+                   when "nearest_slave"
+                     resolve_nearest_slave
                    else
                      raise ArgumentError, "Unknown instance role #{@role}"
                    end
@@ -566,6 +572,34 @@ def resolve_slave
             end
           end
         end
+
+        def resolve_nearest_slave
+          sentinel_detect do |client|
+            if reply = client.call(["sentinel", "slaves", @master])
+              ok_slaves = reply.map {|r| Hash[*r] }.select  {|r| r["master-link-status"] == "ok" }
+
+              ok_slaves.each do |slave|
+                client = Client.new @options.merge(
+                  :host => slave["ip"],
+                  :port => slave["port"],
+                  :reconnect_attempts => 0
+                )
+                begin
+                  client.call [:ping]
+                  start = Time.now
+                  client.call [:ping]
+                  slave["response_time"] = (Time.now - start).to_f
+                ensure
+                  client.disconnect
+                end
+              end
+
+              slave = ok_slaves.sort_by {|slave| slave["response_time"] }.first
+              {:host => slave.fetch("ip"), :port => slave.fetch("port")} if slave
+            end
+          end
+        end
+
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/test/sentinel_test.rb b/test/sentinel_test.rb
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 1eff251b4..7f9b8b4de
--- a/test/sentinel_test.rb
+++ b/test/sentinel_test.rb
@@ -252,4 +252,48 @@ def test_sentinel_retries
 
     assert_match(/No sentinels available/, ex.message)
   end
+
+  def test_sentinel_nearest_slave
+    sentinels = [{:host => "127.0.0.1", :port => 26381}]
+
+    master = { :role => lambda { ["master"] } }
+    s1 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["1"] }, :ping => lambda { ["OK"] } }
+    s2 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["2"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.1; ["OK"] } }
+    s3 = { :role => lambda { ["slave"] }, :slave_id => lambda { ["3"] }, :ping => lambda { sleep 0.2; ["OK"] } }
+
+    5.times do
+      RedisMock.start(master) do |master_port|
+        RedisMock.start(s1) do |s1_port|
+          RedisMock.start(s2) do |s2_port|
+            RedisMock.start(s3) do |s3_port|
+
+              sentinel = lambda do |port|
+                {
+                  :sentinel => lambda do |command, *args|
+                    case command
+                    when "slaves"
+                      [
+                        %W[master-link-status down ip 127.0.0.1 port #{s1_port}],
+                        %W[master-link-status ok ip 127.0.0.1 port #{s2_port}],
+                        %W[master-link-status ok ip 127.0.0.1 port #{s3_port}]
+                      ].shuffle
+                    else
+                      ["127.0.0.1", port.to_s]
+                    end
+                  end
+                }
+              end
+
+              RedisMock.start(sentinel.call(master_port)) do |sen_port|
+                sentinels[0][:port] = sen_port
+                redis = Redis.new(:url => "redis://master1", :sentinels => sentinels, :role => :nearest_slave)
+                assert_equal redis.slave_id, ["2"]
+              end
+            end
+          end
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
 end