diff --git a/awesome.1.txt b/awesome.1.txt
index 9fe80fc79..edd20f942 100644
--- a/awesome.1.txt
+++ b/awesome.1.txt
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ awesome - awesome window manager
 SYNOPSIS
 --------
 
-awesome [-v | --version] [-c configuration file]
+awesome [ -v | --version ] 
+awesome [ -h | --help ] 
+awesome [ -k | --check ] [ -c configuration file ]
+awesome [ -s | --sync ] [ -c configuration file ]
 
 DESCRIPTION
 -----------
@@ -42,13 +45,16 @@ awesome can draw a small border around windows to indicate the focus state.
 OPTIONS
 -------
 -v | --version::
-    prints version information to standard output, then exits.
+    Prints version information to standard output, then exits.
 -h | --help::
-    prints help information, then exits.
--c::
-    use an alternate configuration file instead of $HOME/.awesomerc.
--k::
-    check configuration file syntax.
+    Prints help information, then exits.
+--config || -c::
+    Use an alternate configuration file instead of $HOME/.awesomerc.
+--check | -k::
+    Check configuration file syntax.
+--sync | -s::
+    Enable X11 synchronization mode. All X11 calls will be synchronized,
+    so you can break on exit to retrieve a backtrace of X errors.
 
 DEFAULTS MOUSE BINDINGS
 -----------------------
diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 3cb4ca36a..cb6ea4274 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -169,7 +169,8 @@ exit_help(int exit_code)
   -h, --help             show help\n\
   -v, --version          show version\n\
   -c, --config FILE      configuration file to use\n\
-  -k, --check            check configuration file syntax\n");
+  -k, --check            check configuration file syntax\n\
+  -s  --sync             enable synchronization (X debug)\n");
     exit(exit_code);
 }
 
@@ -194,12 +195,14 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     struct sockaddr_un *addr;
     Client *c;
     XSetWindowAttributes wa;
+    Bool xsync = False;
     static struct option long_options[] =
     {
         {"help",    0, NULL, 'h'},
         {"version", 0, NULL, 'v'},
         {"check",   0, NULL, 'k'},
-        {"config",  0, NULL, 'c'},
+        {"config",  1, NULL, 'c'},
+        {"sync",    0, NULL, 's'},
         {NULL,      0, NULL, 0}
     };
 
@@ -217,7 +220,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     }
 
     /* check args */
-    while((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "vhkc:",
+    while((opt = getopt_long(argc, argv, "vhkcs:",
                              long_options, NULL)) != -1)
         switch(opt)
         {
@@ -236,6 +239,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
           case 'k':
             return config_check(confpath);
             break;
+          case 's':
+            xsync = True;
+            break;
         }
 
     /* Text won't be printed correctly otherwise */
@@ -258,6 +264,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     xerrorxlib = XSetErrorHandler(xerror);
     XSync(dpy, False);
 
+    if(xsync)
+        XSynchronize(dpy, True);
+
     /* store display */
     globalconf.display = dpy;