Index: pdb.doc
===================================================================
--- pdb.doc	(revision 41867)
+++ pdb.doc	(working copy)
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@
 r(eturn)
         Continue execution until the current function returns.
 
+ru(n) [args...]
+        Restart the debugged python program. If a string is supplied that 
+        becomes the new command arguments.
+        History, breakpoints, actions and debugger options are preserved.
+	"restart" is an alias for "run".
+
 c(ont(inue))
         Continue execution, only stop when a breakpoint is encountered.
 
Index: pdb.py
===================================================================
--- pdb.py	(revision 41867)
+++ pdb.py	(working copy)
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@
 import re
 import pprint
 import traceback
+
+
+class Restart(Exception):
+    """Causes a debugger to be restarted for the debugged python program."""
+    pass
+
 # Create a custom safe Repr instance and increase its maxstring.
 # The default of 30 truncates error messages too easily.
 _repr = Repr()
@@ -495,6 +500,17 @@
         return 1
     do_n = do_next
 
+    def do_run(self, arg):
+        """Restart program by raising an exception to be caught in the main debugger
+        loop. If arguments were given, set them in sys.argv."""
+        if arg:
+            argv_start = sys.argv[0:1]
+            sys.argv = arg.split(" ")
+            sys.argv[:0] = argv_start
+        raise Restart
+
+    do_R = do_ru = do_restart = do_run
+
     def do_return(self, arg):
         self.set_return(self.curframe)
         return 1
@@ -894,6 +910,14 @@
 (Pdb) global list_options; list_options = ['-l']
 (Pdb)"""
 
+    def help_run(self):
+        print """ru(n) [args...]
+Restart the debugged python program. If a string is supplied that 
+becomes the new command arguments.
+History, breakpoints, actions and debugger options are preserved."""
+
+    help_R = help_restart = help_run
+
     def help_quit(self):
         self.help_q()
 
@@ -1051,9 +1075,8 @@
 
     # Note on saving/restoring sys.argv: it's a good idea when sys.argv was
     # modified by the script being debugged. It's a bad idea when it was
-    # changed by the user from the command line. The best approach would be to
-    # have a "restart" command which would allow explicit specification of
-    # command line arguments.
+    # changed by the user from the command line. There is a "restart" command which
+    # allows explicit specification of command line arguments.
     pdb = Pdb()
     while 1:
         try:
@@ -1061,6 +1084,9 @@
             if pdb._user_requested_quit:
                 break
             print "The program finished and will be restarted"
+        except Restart:
+            print "Restarting "+mainpyfile+" with arguments:\n\t" \
+                  +" ".join(sys.argv[1:])
         except SystemExit:
             # In most cases SystemExit does not warrant a post-mortem session.
             print "The program exited via sys.exit(). Exit status: ",