diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml
index 7544a6489c..5391647586 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!--
-$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml,v 1.31 2000/11/01 21:14:00 petere Exp $
+$Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/doc/src/sgml/runtime.sgml,v 1.32 2000/11/08 17:57:45 petere Exp $
 -->
 
 <Chapter Id="runtime">
@@ -411,7 +411,7 @@ syslog = 2
     A second way to set these configuration parameters is to give them
     as a command line option to the postmaster, such as
 <programlisting>
-postmaster --log-connections=yes --syslog=2
+postmaster -c log_connections=yes -c syslog=2
 </programlisting>
     which would have the same effect as the previous example.
    </para>
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ postmaster --log-connections=yes --syslog=2
     <envar>PGOPTIONS</envar> can be used for this purpose on the
     client side:
 <programlisting>
-env PGOPTIONS='--geqo=off' psql
+env PGOPTIONS='-c geqo=off' psql
 </programlisting>
     (This works for any client application, not just
     <application>psql</application>.) Note that this won't work for
diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
index 192e5205a1..07e0548509 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
  *
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c,v 1.179 2000/11/06 22:18:06 petere Exp $
+ *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c,v 1.180 2000/11/08 17:57:46 petere Exp $
  *
  * NOTES
  *
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ PostmasterMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	 * will occur.
 	 */
 	opterr = 1;
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "A:a:B:b:D:d:Film:MN:no:p:SsV-:?")) != EOF)
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "A:a:B:b:c:D:d:Film:MN:no:p:SsV-:?")) != EOF)
 	{
 		switch(opt)
 		{
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ PostmasterMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 #ifdef HAVE_INT_OPTRESET
 	optreset = 1;
 #endif
-	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "A:a:B:b:D:d:Film:MN:no:p:SsV-:?")) != EOF)
+	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "A:a:B:b:c:D:d:Film:MN:no:p:SsV-:?")) != EOF)
 	{
 		switch (opt)
 		{
@@ -530,13 +530,19 @@ PostmasterMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 				 */
 				SendStop = true;
 				break;
+			case 'c':
 			case '-':
 			{
 				char *name, *value;
 
 				ParseLongOption(optarg, &name, &value);
 				if (!value)
-					elog(ERROR, "--%s requires argument", optarg);
+				{
+					if (opt == '-')
+						elog(ERROR, "--%s requires argument", optarg);
+					else
+						elog(ERROR, "-c %s requires argument", optarg);
+				}
 
 				SetConfigOption(name, value, PGC_POSTMASTER);
 				free(name);
@@ -766,6 +772,7 @@ usage(const char *progname)
 	printf("  -A 1|0          enable/disable runtime assert checking\n");
 #endif
 	printf("  -B <buffers>    number of shared buffers\n");
+	printf("  -c <name>=<value> set run-time parameter\n");
 	printf("  -d 1-5          debugging level\n");
 	printf("  -D <directory>  database directory\n");
 	printf("  -F              turn fsync off\n");
@@ -775,7 +782,7 @@ usage(const char *progname)
 #endif
 	printf("  -N <number>     maximum number of allowed connections (1..%d, default %d)\n",
 			MAXBACKENDS, DEF_MAXBACKENDS);
-	printf("  -o <option>     pass `option' to each backend server\n");
+	printf("  -o <option>     pass 'option' to each backend server\n");
 	printf("  -p <port>       port number to listen on\n");
 	printf("  -S              silent mode (dissociate from tty)\n");
 
@@ -783,7 +790,7 @@ usage(const char *progname)
 	printf("  -n              don't reinitialize shared memory after abnormal exit\n");
 	printf("  -s              send SIGSTOP to all backend servers if one dies\n");
 
-	printf("\nPlease read the documentation for the complete list of runtime\n"
+	printf("\nPlease read the documentation for the complete list of run-time\n"
 		   "configuration settings and how to set them on the command line or in\n"
 		   "the configuration file.\n\n");
 
diff --git a/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c b/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
index 3a6cc57d3d..8b84697d73 100644
--- a/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
+++ b/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  *
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c,v 1.186 2000/11/06 22:18:08 petere Exp $
+ *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c,v 1.187 2000/11/08 17:57:46 petere Exp $
  *
  * NOTES
  *	  this is the "main" module of the postgres backend and
@@ -1010,6 +1010,7 @@ usage(char *progname)
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-A on\t\tenable/disable assert checking\n");
 #endif
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-B buffers\tset number of buffers in buffer pool\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\t-c name=value\tset run-time parameter\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-C \t\tsuppress version info\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-D dir\t\tdata directory\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t-E \t\techo query before execution\n");
@@ -1112,7 +1113,7 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], int real_argc, char *real_argv[], const cha
 
 	optind = 1;					/* reset after postmaster's usage */
 
-	while ((flag = getopt(argc, argv,  "A:B:CD:d:Eef:FiLNOPo:p:S:st:v:VW:x:-:?")) != EOF)
+	while ((flag = getopt(argc, argv,  "A:B:c:CD:d:Eef:FiLNOPo:p:S:st:v:VW:x:-:?")) != EOF)
 		switch (flag)
 		{
 			case 'A':
@@ -1383,6 +1384,7 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], int real_argc, char *real_argv[], const cha
 #endif
 				break;
 
+			case 'c':
 			case '-':
 			{
 				char *name, *value;
@@ -1399,7 +1401,12 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], int real_argc, char *real_argv[], const cha
 					exit(0);
 				}
 				if (!value)
-					elog(ERROR, "--%s requires argument", optarg);
+				{
+					if (flag == '-')
+						elog(ERROR, "--%s requires argument", optarg);
+					else
+						elog(ERROR, "-c %s requires argument", optarg);
+				}
 
 				SetConfigOption(name, value, PGC_BACKEND);
 				free(name);
@@ -1639,7 +1646,7 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], int real_argc, char *real_argv[], const cha
 	if (!IsUnderPostmaster)
 	{
 		puts("\nPOSTGRES backend interactive interface ");
-		puts("$Revision: 1.186 $ $Date: 2000/11/06 22:18:08 $\n");
+		puts("$Revision: 1.187 $ $Date: 2000/11/08 17:57:46 $\n");
 	}
 
 	/*