diff --git a/init.cpp b/init.cpp
index 906bcbe1..68ed11f6 100644
--- a/init.cpp
+++ b/init.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ void Shutdown(void* parg)
         DBFlush(false);
         StopNode();
         DBFlush(true);
+        boost::filesystem::remove(GetPidFile());
         CreateThread(ExitTimeout, NULL);
         Sleep(50);
         printf("Bitcoin exiting\n\n");
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[])
             "  bitcoin [options] help <command>    \t\t  " + _("Get help for a command\n") +
           _("Options:\n") +
             "  -conf=<file>     \t\t  " + _("Specify configuration file (default: bitcoin.conf)\n") +
+            "  -pid=<file>      \t\t  " + _("Specify pid file (default: bitcoind.pid)\n") +
             "  -gen             \t\t  " + _("Generate coins\n") +
             "  -gen=0           \t\t  " + _("Don't generate coins\n") +
             "  -min             \t\t  " + _("Start minimized\n") +
@@ -251,7 +253,10 @@ bool AppInit2(int argc, char* argv[])
             return false;
         }
         if (pid > 0)
+        {
+            CreatePidFile(GetPidFile(), pid);
             return true;
+        }
 
         pid_t sid = setsid();
         if (sid < 0)
diff --git a/util.cpp b/util.cpp
index 1c685ba4..23596166 100644
--- a/util.cpp
+++ b/util.cpp
@@ -747,6 +747,25 @@ void ReadConfigFile(map<string, string>& mapSettingsRet,
     }
 }
 
+string GetPidFile()
+{
+    namespace fs = boost::filesystem;
+    fs::path pathConfig(GetArg("-pid", "bitcoind.pid"));
+    if (!pathConfig.is_complete())
+        pathConfig = fs::path(GetDataDir()) / pathConfig;
+    return pathConfig.string();
+}
+
+void CreatePidFile(string pidFile, pid_t pid)
+{
+    FILE* file;
+    if (file = fopen(pidFile.c_str(), "w"))
+    {
+        fprintf(file, "%d\n", pid);
+        fclose(file);
+    }
+}
+
 int GetFilesize(FILE* file)
 {
     int nSavePos = ftell(file);
diff --git a/util.h b/util.h
index d1754c9e..44afffcb 100644
--- a/util.h
+++ b/util.h
@@ -172,6 +172,8 @@ bool WildcardMatch(const string& str, const string& mask);
 int GetFilesize(FILE* file);
 void GetDataDir(char* pszDirRet);
 string GetConfigFile();
+string GetPidFile();
+void CreatePidFile(string pidFile, pid_t pid);
 void ReadConfigFile(map<string, string>& mapSettingsRet, map<string, vector<string> >& mapMultiSettingsRet);
 #ifdef __WXMSW__
 string MyGetSpecialFolderPath(int nFolder, bool fCreate);