diff --git a/Doc/library/platform.rst b/Doc/library/platform.rst
--- a/Doc/library/platform.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/platform.rst
@@ -56,6 +56,12 @@ Cross Platform
    value cannot be determined.
 
 
+.. function:: major()
+
+   Returns the system's major version as an integer, e.g. 2 on Linux 2.6.28.
+   Return 0 if the value cannot be determined.
+
+
 .. function:: node()
 
    Returns the computer's network name (may not be fully qualified!). An empty
diff --git a/Lib/platform.py b/Lib/platform.py
--- a/Lib/platform.py
+++ b/Lib/platform.py
@@ -1189,6 +1189,26 @@ def release():
     """
     return uname()[2]
 
+def major():
+
+    """ Returns the system's major version as an integer,
+        e.g. 2 on Linux 2.6.28.
+
+        Return 0 if the value cannot be determined.
+
+    """
+    if system() in ("UnixWare",  "OpenUNIX"):
+        text = version()
+    else:
+        text = release()
+    text = re.sub('[ /]', '', text)
+    text = re.sub('^[[A-Z]]\.', '', text)
+    text = re.sub(r'\..*', '', text)
+    if text:
+        return int(text)
+    else:
+        return 0
+
 def version():
 
     """ Returns the system's release version, e.g. '#3 on degas'
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_platform.py b/Lib/test/test_platform.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_platform.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_platform.py
@@ -45,9 +45,16 @@ class PlatformTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_release(self):
         res = platform.release()
+        self.assertIsInstance(res, str)
 
     def test_version(self):
         res = platform.version()
+        self.assertIsInstance(res, str)
+
+    def test_major(self):
+        res = platform.major()
+        self.assertIsInstance(res, int)
+        self.assertGreaterEqual(res, 0)
 
     def test_machine(self):
         res = platform.machine()