diff -Nurp Python-3.2.2/Doc/library/socket.rst Python-3.2.2_new/Doc/library/socket.rst
--- Python-3.2.2/Doc/library/socket.rst	2011-09-03 20:16:39.000000000 +0400
+++ Python-3.2.2_new/Doc/library/socket.rst	2011-09-25 20:33:30.000000000 +0400
@@ -618,16 +618,18 @@ correspond to Unix system calls applicab
    the address family --- see above.)
 
 
-.. method:: socket.getsockopt(level, optname[, buflen])
+.. method:: socket.getsockopt(level, optname[, optarg])
 
    Return the value of the given socket option (see the Unix man page
    :manpage:`getsockopt(2)`).  The needed symbolic constants (:const:`SO_\*` etc.)
    are defined in this module.  If *buflen* is absent, an integer option is assumed
-   and its integer value is returned by the function.  If *buflen* is present, it
-   specifies the maximum length of the buffer used to receive the option in, and
-   this buffer is returned as a bytes object.  It is up to the caller to decode the
-   contents of the buffer (see the optional built-in module :mod:`struct` for a way
-   to decode C structures encoded as byte strings).
+   and its integer value is returned by the function.  If *buflen* is present and
+   is a bytes object, it is passed to getsockopt and the return value is a bytes
+   object of the same length. If *buflen* is an integer, it specifies the maximum
+   length of the buffer used to receive the option in, and this buffer is returned
+   as a bytes object.  It is up to the caller to decode the contents of the buffer
+   (see the optional built-in module :mod:`struct` for a way to decode C structures
+   encoded as byte strings).
 
 
 .. method:: socket.gettimeout()
diff -Nurp Python-3.2.2/Modules/socketmodule.c Python-3.2.2_new/Modules/socketmodule.c
--- Python-3.2.2/Modules/socketmodule.c	2011-09-03 20:16:47.000000000 +0400
+++ Python-3.2.2_new/Modules/socketmodule.c	2011-09-25 20:38:18.000000000 +0400
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ _dup() -- return a new socket fd duplica
 fileno() -- return underlying file descriptor\n\
 getpeername() -- return remote address [*]\n\
 getsockname() -- return local address\n\
-getsockopt(level, optname[, buflen]) -- get socket options\n\
+getsockopt(level, optname[, optarg]) -- get socket options\n\
 gettimeout() -- return timeout or None\n\
 listen(n) -- start listening for incoming connections\n\
 recv(buflen[, flags]) -- receive data\n\
@@ -1854,7 +1854,9 @@ The value argument can either be an inte
 
 /* s.getsockopt() method.
    With two arguments, retrieves an integer option.
-   With a third integer argument, retrieves a string buffer of that size;
+   With a third integer argument, retrieves a string buffer of that size.
+   With a third argument as a bytes object, retrieves a buffer of the same
+   size, using the argument as an input;
    use optional built-in module 'struct' to decode the string. */
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -1865,10 +1867,15 @@ sock_getsockopt(PySocketSockObject *s, P
     int res;
     PyObject *buf;
     socklen_t buflen = 0;
+    char *inputbuf = (char *)NULL;
 
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "ii|i:getsockopt",
-                          &level, &optname, &buflen))
-        return NULL;
+                          &level, &optname, &buflen)) {
+        PyErr_Clear();
+        if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "iiy#:setsockopt",
+                              &level, &optname, &inputbuf, &buflen))
+            return NULL;
+    }
 
     if (buflen == 0) {
         int flag = 0;
@@ -1890,7 +1897,7 @@ sock_getsockopt(PySocketSockObject *s, P
                         "getsockopt buflen out of range");
         return NULL;
     }
-    buf = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize((char *)NULL, buflen);
+    buf = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(inputbuf, buflen);
     if (buf == NULL)
         return NULL;
     res = getsockopt(s->sock_fd, level, optname,
@@ -1904,10 +1911,12 @@ sock_getsockopt(PySocketSockObject *s, P
 }
 
 PyDoc_STRVAR(getsockopt_doc,
-"getsockopt(level, option[, buffersize]) -> value\n\
+"getsockopt(level, option[, optarg]) -> value\n\
 \n\
 Get a socket option.  See the Unix manual for level and option.\n\
-If a nonzero buffersize argument is given, the return value is a\n\
+If optarg argument is given and is a bytes object, it is passed\n\
+to getsockopt and the return value is a bytes object of the same length.\n\
+If a nonzero integer optarg argument is given, the return value is a\n\
 string of that length; otherwise it is an integer.");