diff -r eb251e3624df Doc/library/itertools.rst
--- a/Doc/library/itertools.rst	Fri Jan 24 00:33:25 2014 -0500
+++ b/Doc/library/itertools.rst	Fri Jan 24 18:15:05 2014 +0800
@@ -525,13 +525,15 @@
 .. function:: repeat(object[, times])
 
    Make an iterator that returns *object* over and over again. Runs indefinitely
-   unless the *times* argument is specified. Used as argument to :func:`map` for
-   invariant parameters to the called function.  Also used with :func:`zip` to
-   create an invariant part of a tuple record.  Equivalent to::
+   unless the *times* argument is specified. Negative *times* is same as 0.
+   Used as argument to :func:`map` for invariant parameters to the called
+   function.  Also used with :func:`zip` to create an invariant part of a tuple
+   record.  Equivalent to::
 
-      def repeat(object, times=None):
+      sentinel = []
+      def repeat(object, times=sentinel):
           # repeat(10, 3) --> 10 10 10
-          if times is None:
+          if times is sentinel:
               while True:
                   yield object
           else:
diff -r eb251e3624df Lib/test/test_itertools.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_itertools.py	Fri Jan 24 00:33:25 2014 -0500
+++ b/Lib/test/test_itertools.py	Fri Jan 24 18:15:05 2014 +0800
@@ -967,6 +967,12 @@
         self.assertEqual(take(2, copy.deepcopy(c)), list('a' * 2))
         self.pickletest(repeat(object='a', times=10))
 
+    def test_repeat_with_negative_times(self):
+        self.assertEqual(repr(repeat('a', -1)), "repeat('a', 0)")
+        self.assertEqual(repr(repeat('a', -2)), "repeat('a', 0)")
+        self.assertEqual(repr(repeat('a', times=-1)), "repeat('a', 0)")
+        self.assertEqual(repr(repeat('a', times=-2)), "repeat('a', 0)")
+
     def test_map(self):
         self.assertEqual(list(map(operator.pow, range(3), range(1,7))),
                          [0**1, 1**2, 2**3])
@@ -1732,8 +1738,15 @@
 
     def test_repeat(self):
         self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, 50)), 50)
+        self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, 0)), 0)
         self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None), 12), 12)
 
+    def test_repeat_with_negative_times(self):
+        self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, -1)), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, -2)), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, times=-1)), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(operator.length_hint(repeat(None, times=-2)), 0)
+
 class RegressionTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_sf_793826(self):
diff -r eb251e3624df Modules/itertoolsmodule.c
--- a/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c	Fri Jan 24 00:33:25 2014 -0500
+++ b/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c	Fri Jan 24 18:15:05 2014 +0800
@@ -4090,14 +4090,17 @@
 {
     repeatobject *ro;
     PyObject *element;
-    Py_ssize_t cnt = -1;
+    Py_ssize_t cnt = -1, n_kwds = 0;
     static char *kwargs[] = {"object", "times", NULL};
 
     if (!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(args, kwds, "O|n:repeat", kwargs,
                                      &element, &cnt))
         return NULL;
 
-    if (PyTuple_Size(args) == 2 && cnt < 0)
+    if (kwds != NULL)
+        n_kwds = PyDict_Size(kwds);
+    /* Does user supply times argument? */
+    if ((PyTuple_Size(args) + n_kwds == 2) && cnt < 0)
         cnt = 0;
 
     ro = (repeatobject *)type->tp_alloc(type, 0);
@@ -4177,7 +4180,7 @@
 PyDoc_STRVAR(repeat_doc,
 "repeat(object [,times]) -> create an iterator which returns the object\n\
 for the specified number of times.  If not specified, returns the object\n\
-endlessly.");
+endlessly.  Negative times is same as zero.");
 
 static PyTypeObject repeat_type = {
     PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)