diff --git a/Doc/library/signal.rst b/Doc/library/signal.rst
--- a/Doc/library/signal.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/signal.rst
@@ -116,6 +116,22 @@ The variables defined in the :mod:`signa
    in user and kernel space. SIGPROF is delivered upon expiration.
 
 
+.. data:: SFD_CLOEXEC
+
+   A possible flag in the *flags* parameter to :func:`signalfd` which causes
+   the new file descriptor to be marked as close-on-exec.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
+
+.. data:: SFD_NONBLOCK
+
+   A possible flag in the *flags* parameter to :func:`signalfd` which causes
+   the new :term:`file description` to be set non-blocking.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
+
 .. data:: SIG_BLOCK
 
    A possible value for the *how* parameter to :func:`pthread_sigmask`
@@ -247,6 +263,8 @@ The :mod:`signal` module defines the fol
    attempting to call it from other threads will cause a :exc:`ValueError`
    exception to be raised.
 
+   See also the :func:`signalfd` function.
+
 
 .. function:: siginterrupt(signalnum, flag)
 
@@ -282,6 +300,28 @@ The :mod:`signal` module defines the fol
    :const:`SIGTERM`. A :exc:`ValueError` will be raised in any other case.
 
 
+.. function:: signalfd(fd, mask[, flags])
+
+   Create a new file descriptor on which to receive signals or modify the
+   mask of such a file descriptor previously created by this function.
+
+   If *fd* is ``-1``, a new file descriptor will be created.  Otherwise,
+   *fd* must be a file descriptor previously returned by this function.
+
+   *mask* is a list of signal numbers which will trigger data on this file
+   descriptor.
+
+   *flags* is a bit mask which may include :const:`signal.SFD_CLOEXEC` and
+   :const:`signal.SFD_NONBLOCK` flags.
+
+   See also the :func:`set_wakeup_fd` function.
+
+   Availability: Linux.  See the manpage :manpage:`signalfd(2)` for further
+   information.
+
+   .. versionadded:: 3.3
+
+
 .. _signal-example:
 
 Example
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_signal.py b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_signal.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_signal.py
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ class PthreadSigmaskTests(unittest.TestC
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, signal.pthread_sigmask)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, signal.pthread_sigmask, 1)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, signal.pthread_sigmask, 1, 2, 3)
-        self.assertRaises(RuntimeError, signal.pthread_sigmask, 1700, [])
+        self.assertRaises(OSError, signal.pthread_sigmask, 1700, [])
 
     def test_block_unlock(self):
         pid = os.getpid()
@@ -536,12 +536,136 @@ class PthreadSigmaskTests(unittest.TestC
         self.assertSequenceEqual(old_mask, unblocked)
 
 
+@unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(signal, 'signalfd'),
+                     'need signal.signalfd()')
+class SignalfdTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    Tests for signal.signalfd.
+    """
+    def signalfd(self, *a, **kw):
+        try:
+            return signal.signalfd(*a, **kw)
+        except OSError:
+            type, value, traceback = sys.exc_info()
+            if value.errno == errno.ENOSYS:
+                raise unittest.Skip(
+                    "signalfd() not implemented on this platform")
+
+
+    def test_signature(self):
+        """
+        When invoked with fewer than two arguments or more than three, signalfd
+        raises TypeError.
+        """
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.signalfd)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.signalfd, 1)
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.signalfd, 1, 2, 3, 4)
+
+
+    def test_create_signalfd(self):
+        """
+        When invoked with a file descriptor of -1, signalfd allocates a new file
+        descriptor for signal information delivery and returns it.
+        """
+        fd = self.signalfd(-1, [])
+        self.assertIsInstance(fd, int)
+        os.close(fd)
+
+
+    def test_non_iterable_signals(self):
+        """
+        If an object which is not iterable is passed for the sigmask list
+        argument to signalfd, the exception raised by trying to iterate over
+        that object is raised.
+        """
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.signalfd, -1, object())
+
+
+    def test_non_integer_signals(self):
+        """
+        If any non-integer values are included in the sigmask list argument to
+        signalfd, the exception raised by the attempt to convert them to an
+        integer is raised.
+        """
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.signalfd, -1, [object()])
+
+
+    def test_out_of_range_signal(self):
+        """
+        If a signal number that is out of the valid range is included in the
+        sigmask list argument to signalfd, ValueError is raised.
+        """
+        message = "signal number -2 out of range"
+        try:
+            self.signalfd(-1, [-2])
+        except ValueError:
+            type, value, traceback = sys.exc_info()
+            self.assertEquals(str(value), message)
+        else:
+            self.fail("Expected negative signal number to trigger ValueError")
+
+
+    def test_handle_signals(self):
+        """
+        After signalfd is called, if a signal is received which was in the
+        sigmask list passed to that call, information about the signal can be
+        read from the fd returned by that call.
+        """
+        fd = self.signalfd(-1, [signal.SIGUSR2])
+        self.addCleanup(os.close, fd)
+        previous = signal.pthread_sigmask(signal.SIG_BLOCK, [signal.SIGUSR2])
+        self.addCleanup(signal.pthread_sigmask, signal.SIG_SETMASK, previous)
+        os.kill(os.getpid(), signal.SIGUSR2)
+        bytes = os.read(fd, 128)
+        self.assertTrue(bytes)
+
+
+    def test_close_on_exec(self):
+        """
+        If the bit mask passed as the 3rd argument to signalfd includes
+        SFD_CLOEXEC, the returned file descriptor has FD_CLOEXEC set on it.
+        """
+        import fcntl
+        fd = self.signalfd(-1, [], signal.SFD_CLOEXEC)
+        self.addCleanup(os.close, fd)
+        flags = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFD)
+        self.assertTrue(flags & fcntl.FD_CLOEXEC)
+
+
+    def test_nonblocking(self):
+        """
+        If the bit mask passed as the 3rd argument to signalfd includes
+        SFD_NOBLOCK, the file description referenced by the returned file
+        descriptor has O_NONBLOCK set on it.
+        """
+        import fcntl
+        fd = self.signalfd(-1, [], signal.SFD_NONBLOCK)
+        self.addCleanup(os.close, fd)
+        flags = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFL)
+        self.assertTrue(flags & os.O_NONBLOCK)
+
+
+    def test_default_flags(self):
+        """
+        If an empty bit mask is passed as the 3rd argument to signalfd, neither
+        FD_CLOEXEC nor O_NONBLOCK is set on the resulting file
+        descriptor/description.
+        """
+        import fcntl
+        fd = self.signalfd(-1, [])
+        self.addCleanup(os.close, fd)
+        flags = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFD)
+        self.assertFalse(flags & fcntl.FD_CLOEXEC)
+        flags = fcntl.fcntl(fd, fcntl.F_GETFL)
+        self.assertFalse(flags & os.O_NONBLOCK)
+
+
 def test_main():
     try:
         support.run_unittest(BasicSignalTests, InterProcessSignalTests,
                              WakeupSignalTests, SiginterruptTest,
                              ItimerTest, WindowsSignalTests,
-                             PthreadSigmaskTests)
+                             PthreadSigmaskTests, SignalfdTests)
     finally:
         support.reap_children()
 
diff --git a/Modules/signalmodule.c b/Modules/signalmodule.c
--- a/Modules/signalmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/signalmodule.c
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 #ifdef HAVE_SYS_TIME_H
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SIGNALFD
+#include <sys/signalfd.h>
+#endif
 
 #if defined(HAVE_PTHREAD_SIGMASK) && !defined(HAVE_BROKEN_PTHREAD_SIGMASK)
 #  define PYPTHREAD_SIGMASK
@@ -503,7 +506,7 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(getitimer_doc,
 Returns current value of given itimer.");
 #endif
 
-#ifdef PYPTHREAD_SIGMASK
+#if defined(PYPTHREAD_SIGMASK) || defined(HAVE_SIGNALFD)
 /* Convert an iterable to a sigset.
    Return 0 on success, return -1 and raise an exception on error. */
 
@@ -551,7 +554,9 @@ error:
     Py_XDECREF(iterator);
     return result;
 }
+#endif
 
+#ifdef PYPTHREAD_SIGMASK
 static PyObject *
 signal_pthread_sigmask(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
@@ -569,7 +574,7 @@ signal_pthread_sigmask(PyObject *self, P
     err = pthread_sigmask(how, &mask, &previous);
     if (err != 0) {
         errno = err;
-        PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_RuntimeError);
+        PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -608,6 +613,38 @@ Fetch and/or change the signal mask of t
 #endif   /* #ifdef PYPTHREAD_SIGMASK */
 
 
+#ifdef HAVE_SIGNALFD
+static PyObject *
+signal_signalfd(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
+{
+    int result, flags = 0;
+    sigset_t mask;
+
+    int fd;
+    PyObject *signals;
+
+    if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "iO|i:signalfd", &fd, &signals, &flags))
+        return NULL;
+
+    if (iterable_to_sigset(signals, &mask) == -1)
+        return NULL;
+
+    result = signalfd(fd, &mask, flags);
+    if (result == -1) {
+        PyErr_SetFromErrno(PyExc_OSError);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    return PyLong_FromLong(result);
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(signalfd_doc,
+"signalfd(fd, mask, flags)\n\
+\n\
+Create a file descriptor for accepting signals.");
+#endif
+
+
 /* List of functions defined in the module */
 static PyMethodDef signal_methods[] = {
 #ifdef HAVE_ALARM
@@ -635,6 +672,9 @@ static PyMethodDef signal_methods[] = {
     {"pthread_sigmask",         (PyCFunction)signal_pthread_sigmask,
      METH_VARARGS, signal_pthread_sigmask_doc},
 #endif
+#ifdef HAVE_SIGNALFD
+    {"signalfd", signal_signalfd, METH_VARARGS, signalfd_doc},
+#endif
     {NULL,                      NULL}           /* sentinel */
 };
 
@@ -720,24 +760,25 @@ PyInit_signal(void)
     Py_DECREF(x);
 
 #ifdef SIG_BLOCK
-    x = PyLong_FromLong(SIG_BLOCK);
-    if (!x || PyDict_SetItemString(d, "SIG_BLOCK", x) < 0)
+    if (PyModule_AddIntMacro(m, SIG_BLOCK))
         goto finally;
-    Py_DECREF(x);
+#endif
+#ifdef SIG_UNBLOCK
+    if (PyModule_AddIntMacro(m, SIG_UNBLOCK))
+        goto finally;
+#endif
+#ifdef SIG_SETMASK
+    if (PyModule_AddIntMacro(m, SIG_SETMASK))
+        goto finally;
 #endif
 
-#ifdef SIG_UNBLOCK
-    x = PyLong_FromLong(SIG_UNBLOCK);
-    if (!x || PyDict_SetItemString(d, "SIG_UNBLOCK", x) < 0)
+#ifdef SFD_CLOEXEC
+    if (PyModule_AddIntMacro(m, SFD_CLOEXEC))
         goto finally;
-    Py_DECREF(x);
 #endif
-
-#ifdef SIG_SETMASK
-    x = PyLong_FromLong(SIG_SETMASK);
-    if (!x || PyDict_SetItemString(d, "SIG_SETMASK", x) < 0)
+#ifdef SFD_NONBLOCK
+    if (PyModule_AddIntMacro(m, SFD_NONBLOCK))
         goto finally;
-    Py_DECREF(x);
 #endif
 
     x = IntHandler = PyDict_GetItemString(d, "default_int_handler");
diff --git a/configure b/configure
--- a/configure
+++ b/configure
@@ -9261,7 +9261,8 @@ for ac_func in alarm accept4 setitimer g
  select sem_open sem_timedwait sem_getvalue sem_unlink sendfile setegid seteuid \
  setgid sethostname \
  setlocale setregid setreuid setresuid setresgid setsid setpgid setpgrp setpriority setuid setvbuf \
- sigaction sigaltstack siginterrupt sigrelse snprintf strftime strlcpy symlinkat sync \
+ sigaction sigaltstack siginterrupt signalfd sigrelse \
+ snprintf strftime strlcpy symlinkat sync \
  sysconf tcgetpgrp tcsetpgrp tempnam timegm times tmpfile tmpnam tmpnam_r \
  truncate uname unlinkat unsetenv utimensat utimes waitid waitpid wait3 wait4 \
  wcscoll wcsftime wcsxfrm writev _getpty
diff --git a/configure.in b/configure.in
--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -2507,7 +2507,8 @@ AC_CHECK_FUNCS(alarm accept4 setitimer g
  select sem_open sem_timedwait sem_getvalue sem_unlink sendfile setegid seteuid \
  setgid sethostname \
  setlocale setregid setreuid setresuid setresgid setsid setpgid setpgrp setpriority setuid setvbuf \
- sigaction sigaltstack siginterrupt sigrelse snprintf strftime strlcpy symlinkat sync \
+ sigaction sigaltstack siginterrupt signalfd sigrelse \
+ snprintf strftime strlcpy symlinkat sync \
  sysconf tcgetpgrp tcsetpgrp tempnam timegm times tmpfile tmpnam tmpnam_r \
  truncate uname unlinkat unsetenv utimensat utimes waitid waitpid wait3 wait4 \
  wcscoll wcsftime wcsxfrm writev _getpty)
diff --git a/pyconfig.h.in b/pyconfig.h.in
--- a/pyconfig.h.in
+++ b/pyconfig.h.in
@@ -716,6 +716,9 @@
 /* Define to 1 if you have the `siginterrupt' function. */
 #undef HAVE_SIGINTERRUPT
 
+/* Define to 1 if you have the `signalfd' function. */
+#undef HAVE_SIGNALFD
+
 /* Define to 1 if you have the <signal.h> header file. */
 #undef HAVE_SIGNAL_H