Index: Doc/library/json.rst
===================================================================
--- Doc/library/json.rst	(revision 71408)
+++ Doc/library/json.rst	(working copy)
@@ -137,10 +137,11 @@
    ``inf``, ``-inf``) in strict compliance of the JSON specification, instead of
    using the JavaScript equivalents (``NaN``, ``Infinity``, ``-Infinity``).
 
-   If *indent* is a non-negative integer, then JSON array elements and object
-   members will be pretty-printed with that indent level.  An indent level of 0
-   will only insert newlines.  ``None`` (the default) selects the most compact
-   representation.
+   If *indent* is a non-negative integer or string, then JSON array elements and
+   object members will be pretty-printed with that indent level.  An indent level
+   of 0 or ``""`` will only insert newlines.  ``None`` (the default) selects the
+   most compact representation. Using an integer indent indents that many spaces
+   per level. Using a string indent uses this string for each level.
 
    If *separators* is an ``(item_separator, dict_separator)`` tuple, then it
    will be used instead of the default ``(', ', ': ')`` separators.  ``(',',
Index: Lib/json/tests/test_indent.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/json/tests/test_indent.py	(revision 71408)
+++ Lib/json/tests/test_indent.py	(working copy)
@@ -10,32 +10,36 @@
 
         expect = textwrap.dedent("""\
         [
-          [
-            "blorpie"
-          ],
-          [
-            "whoops"
-          ],
-          [],
-          "d-shtaeou",
-          "d-nthiouh",
-          "i-vhbjkhnth",
-          {
-            "nifty": 87
-          },
-          {
-            "field": "yes",
-            "morefield": false
-          }
+        \t[
+        \t\t"blorpie"
+        \t],
+        \t[
+        \t\t"whoops"
+        \t],
+        \t[],
+        \t"d-shtaeou",
+        \t"d-nthiouh",
+        \t"i-vhbjkhnth",
+        \t{
+        \t\t"nifty": 87
+        \t},
+        \t{
+        \t\t"field": "yes",
+        \t\t"morefield": false
+        \t}
         ]""")
 
 
         d1 = json.dumps(h)
         d2 = json.dumps(h, indent=2, sort_keys=True, separators=(',', ': '))
+        d3 = json.dumps(h, indent="\t", sort_keys=True, separators=(',', ': '))
 
         h1 = json.loads(d1)
         h2 = json.loads(d2)
+        h3 = json.loads(d3)
 
         self.assertEquals(h1, h)
         self.assertEquals(h2, h)
-        self.assertEquals(d2, expect)
+        self.assertEquals(h3, h)
+        self.assertEquals(d2, expect.replace("\t", "  "))
+        self.assertEquals(d3, expect)
Index: Lib/json/encoder.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/json/encoder.py	(revision 71408)
+++ Lib/json/encoder.py	(working copy)
@@ -143,9 +143,9 @@
         sorted by key; this is useful for regression tests to ensure
         that JSON serializations can be compared on a day-to-day basis.
 
-        If indent is a non-negative integer, then JSON array
+        If indent is a non-negative integer or string, then JSON array
         elements and object members will be pretty-printed with that
-        indent level.  An indent level of 0 will only insert newlines.
+        indent level.  An indent level of 0 or "" will only insert newlines.
         None is the most compact representation.
 
         If specified, separators should be a (item_separator, key_separator)
@@ -175,7 +175,10 @@
         self.encoding = encoding
 
     def _newline_indent(self):
-        return '\n' + (' ' * (self.indent * self.current_indent_level))
+        if isinstance(self.indent, str):
+            return '\n' + (self.indent * self.current_indent_level)
+        else:
+            return '\n' + (' ' * (self.indent * self.current_indent_level))
 
     def _iterencode_list(self, lst, markers=None):
         if not lst: