diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 878305d7f47..4319351dee3 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ What's New in Python 2.6 alpha 3?
 Core and builtins
 -----------------
 
+- Patch #2617: Reserved -J and -X arguments for Jython, IronPython and other
+  implementations of Python. 
+
 Extensions Modules
 ------------------
 
diff --git a/Modules/main.c b/Modules/main.c
index a9197401254..8e02fe4f46f 100644
--- a/Modules/main.c
+++ b/Modules/main.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static char **orig_argv;
 static int  orig_argc;
 
 /* command line options */
-#define BASE_OPTS "3bBc:dEhim:OQ:StuUvVW:xX?"
+#define BASE_OPTS "3bBc:dEhiJm:OQ:StuUvVW:xX?"
 
 #ifndef RISCOS
 #define PROGRAM_OPTS BASE_OPTS
@@ -349,6 +349,8 @@ Py_Main(int argc, char **argv)
 			Py_InteractiveFlag++;
 			break;
 
+		/* case 'J': reserved for Jython */
+
 		case 'O':
 			Py_OptimizeFlag++;
 			break;
@@ -388,6 +390,8 @@ Py_Main(int argc, char **argv)
 			skipfirstline = 1;
 			break;
 
+		/* case 'X': reserved for non-standard arguments */
+
 		case 'U':
 			Py_UnicodeFlag++;
 			break;
diff --git a/Python/getopt.c b/Python/getopt.c
index 659efcfff81..acdd5d778b7 100644
--- a/Python/getopt.c
+++ b/Python/getopt.c
@@ -80,7 +80,18 @@ int _PyOS_GetOpt(int argc, char **argv, char *optstring)
 
 	if ( (option = *opt_ptr++) == '\0')
 		return -1;
-	
+
+	if (option == 'J') {
+		fprintf(stderr, "-J is reserved for Jython\n");
+		return '_';
+	}
+
+	if (option == 'X') {
+		fprintf(stderr,
+			"-X is reserved for non-standard arguments\n");
+		return '_';
+	}
+
 	if ((ptr = strchr(optstring, option)) == NULL) {
 		if (_PyOS_opterr)
 			fprintf(stderr, "Unknown option: -%c\n", option);