diff -r cb44fef5ea1d -r 7db732ac6796 Lib/packaging/command/cmd.py
--- a/Lib/packaging/command/cmd.py	Thu Jul 21 01:11:30 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/packaging/command/cmd.py	Wed Jul 20 22:55:22 2011 -0400
@@ -317,9 +317,16 @@
         cmd_obj.ensure_finalized()
         return cmd_obj
 
-    def get_reinitialized_command(self, command, reinit_subcommands=False):
+    def get_reinitialized_command(self, command, reinit_subcommands=False, **kwargs):
+        """Wrapper around Distributions 'get_reinitialized_command()'
+        method: returns a reinitialized command object based on a command
+        string or command options. Allows the addition of extra option
+        values or modifications of defaults. Usage of this method requires
+        the returned commaned to be finalized (by calling 'finalize_options()'
+        or 'ensure_finalized()').
+        """
         return self.distribution.get_reinitialized_command(
-            command, reinit_subcommands)
+            command, reinit_subcommands, **kwargs)
 
     def run_command(self, command):
         """Run some other command: uses the 'run_command()' method of
diff -r cb44fef5ea1d -r 7db732ac6796 Lib/packaging/dist.py
--- a/Lib/packaging/dist.py	Thu Jul 21 01:11:30 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/packaging/dist.py	Wed Jul 20 22:55:22 2011 -0400
@@ -688,7 +688,8 @@
             except ValueError as msg:
                 raise PackagingOptionError(msg)
 
-    def get_reinitialized_command(self, command, reinit_subcommands=False):
+    def get_reinitialized_command(self, command, reinit_subcommands=False,
+                                  **kwargs):
         """Reinitializes a command to the state it was in when first
         returned by 'get_command_obj()': ie., initialized but not yet
         finalized.  This provides the opportunity to sneak option
@@ -714,8 +715,12 @@
         else:
             command_name = command.get_command_name()
 
+        for k, v in kwargs.items():
+            setattr(command, k, v)
+
         if not command.finalized:
             return command
+
         command.initialize_options()
         self.have_run[command_name] = 0
         command.finalized = False
@@ -723,7 +728,8 @@
 
         if reinit_subcommands:
             for sub in command.get_sub_commands():
-                self.get_reinitialized_command(sub, reinit_subcommands)
+                self.get_reinitialized_command(sub, reinit_subcommands,
+                                               **kwargs)
 
         return command
 
diff -r cb44fef5ea1d -r 7db732ac6796 Lib/packaging/tests/test_command_cmd.py
--- a/Lib/packaging/tests/test_command_cmd.py	Thu Jul 21 01:11:30 2011 +0200
+++ b/Lib/packaging/tests/test_command_cmd.py	Wed Jul 20 22:55:22 2011 -0400
@@ -8,9 +8,22 @@
 
 
 class MyCmd(Command):
+
+    user_options = [
+        ('test-option-1=', None,
+         "An option for testing defaults"),
+        ('test-option-2=', None,
+         "A second option for testing defaults"),
+    ]
     def initialize_options(self):
-        pass
+        self.test_option_1 = None
+        self.test_option_2 = None
 
+    def finalize_options(self):
+        if self.test_option_1 is None:
+            self.test_option_1 = "Kitten"
+        if self.test_option_2 is None:
+            self.test_option_2 = "Puppy"
 
 class CommandTestCase(support.LoggingCatcher,
                       unittest.TestCase):
@@ -94,6 +107,26 @@
         self.assertRaises(PackagingOptionError, cmd.ensure_dirname, 'option2')
 
 
+    def test_get_reinitialized_command(self):
+        cmd = self.cmd
+        cmd.test_option_1 = "Horse"
+        cmd.test_option_2 = "Goat"
+        cmd.ensure_finalized()
+        cmd = cmd.get_reinitialized_command(cmd)
+        cmd.ensure_finalized()
+        self.assertEqual(cmd.test_option_1, "Kitten")
+        self.assertEqual(cmd.test_option_2, "Puppy")
+
+        dist = Distribution()
+        cmd = MyCmd(dist)
+        cmd.ensure_finalized()
+        cmd = cmd.get_reinitialized_command(cmd, test_option_1="Rabbit")
+        cmd.ensure_finalized()
+        self.assertEqual(cmd.test_option_1, "Rabbit")
+        self.assertEqual(cmd.test_option_2, "Puppy")
+
+
+
 def test_suite():
     return unittest.makeSuite(CommandTestCase)