diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 8476876..d01b289 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.42ubuntu1) intrepid; urgency=low
 
+  [Jonathan Patrick Davies]
   * requestsync: Exit when connecting to Launchpad fails.
 
+  [ Jelmer Vernooij ]
+  * requestsync: Add -d option to allow overriding the Debian distro to sync
+  from. (LP: #253497)
+
  -- Jonathan Patrick Davies <jpds@ubuntu.com>  Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:43:30 +0100
 
 ubuntu-dev-tools (0.41) intrepid; urgency=low
diff --git a/requestsync b/requestsync
index 2df7093..66edaa9 100755
--- a/requestsync
+++ b/requestsync
@@ -104,10 +104,10 @@ def cur_version_component(sourcepkg, release):
     print "%s doesn't appear to exist in %s, specify -n for a package not in Ubuntu." % (sourcepkg, release)
     sys.exit(1)
 
-def cur_deb_version(sourcepkg):
-    '''Return the current debian version of a package in unstable.'''
+def cur_deb_version(sourcepkg, distro):
+    '''Return the current debian version of a package in a Debian distro.'''
     madison = subprocess.Popen(['rmadison', '-u', 'debian', '-a', 'source', \
-                                '-s', 'unstable', sourcepkg], \
+                                '-s', distro, sourcepkg], \
                                stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
     out = madison.communicate()[0]
     assert (madison.returncode == 0)
@@ -145,9 +145,9 @@ def debian_changelog(sourcepkg, component, version):
 
     return ch
 
-def debian_component(sourcepkg):
+def debian_component(sourcepkg, distro):
     '''Return the Debian component for the source package.'''
-    madison = subprocess.Popen(['rmadison', '-u', 'debian', '-a', 'source', '-s', 'unstable', \
+    madison = subprocess.Popen(['rmadison', '-u', 'debian', '-a', 'source', '-s', distro, \
                                 sourcepkg], stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
     out = madison.communicate()[0]
     assert (madison.returncode == 0)
@@ -172,13 +172,14 @@ def raw_input_exit_on_ctrlc(*args, **kwargs):
         sys.exit(1)
 
 def usage():
-    print '''Usage: requestsync [-h|-n|-k <keyid>|--lp] <source package> <target release> [basever]
+    print '''Usage: requestsync [-d distro|-h|-n|-k <keyid>|--lp] <source package> <target release> [basever]
 
 In some cases, the base version (fork point from Debian) cannot be determined
 automatically, and you'll get a complete Debian changelog. Specify the correct
 base version of the package in Ubuntu.
 
 Options:
+	-d distro	override Debian distribution to sync from [unstable]
 	-h		print this help
 	-n		new source package (doesn't exist yet in Ubuntu)
 	-k <keyid>	sign email with <keyid> (only used when submitting per email)
@@ -409,15 +410,17 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     keyid = None
     use_lp_bugs = False
     need_interaction = False
+    distro = 'unstable'
 
     try:
-        opts, args = getopt.gnu_getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'hnk:', ('lp'))
+		opts, args = getopt.gnu_getopt(sys.argv[1:], 'hnd:k:', ('lp'))
     except getopt.GetoptError:
         usage()
     for o, a in opts:
         if o == '-h':   usage()
         if o == '-n':   newsource = True
         if o == '-k':   keyid = a
+        if o == '-d':   distro = a
         if o == '--lp': use_lp_bugs = True
 
     if len(args) not in (2, 3):
@@ -435,8 +438,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
     if not newsource:
         (cur_ver, component) = cur_version_component(srcpkg, release)
 
-    debiancomponent = debian_component(srcpkg)
-    deb_version = cur_deb_version(srcpkg)
+    debiancomponent = debian_component(srcpkg, distro)
+    deb_version = cur_deb_version(srcpkg, distro)
     
     sponsorship = checkNeedsSponsorship(component)
 
@@ -454,7 +457,7 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         else:
             subscribe = 'ubuntu-universe-sponsors'
 
-    report = 'Please sync %s %s (%s) from Debian unstable (%s).\n\n' % (srcpkg, deb_version, component, debiancomponent)
+    report = 'Please sync %s %s (%s) from Debian %s (%s).\n\n' % (srcpkg, deb_version, component, distro, debiancomponent)
     title = report[:-2]
     
     base_ver = cur_ver