diff --git a/mkpasswd.1 b/mkpasswd.1
index 86a949c..21555ad 100644
--- a/mkpasswd.1
+++ b/mkpasswd.1
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ The behavior is undefined if this option is used without \fI--method\fP.
 .B -m, --method=TYPE
 Compute the password using the \fITYPE\fP method.
 If \fITYPE\fP is \fIhelp\fP then the available methods are printed.
+If \fITYPE\fP begins and end with \fI$\fP characters then the string
+is passed to \fIcrypt_gensalt(3)\fP as-is.
 .TP
 .B -5
 Like \fI--method=md5\fP.
@@ -50,6 +52,8 @@ This programs suffers of a bad case of featuritis.
 .IR passwd(1),
 .IR passwd(5),
 .IR crypt(3),
+.IR crypt(5),
+.IR crypt_gensalt(3),
 .IR getpass(3)
 .SH AUTHOR
 .B mkpasswd
diff --git a/mkpasswd.c b/mkpasswd.c
index b2a4b95..00e839b 100644
--- a/mkpasswd.c
+++ b/mkpasswd.c
@@ -181,6 +181,17 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 		display_methods();
 		exit(0);
 	    }
+#if defined HAVE_LINUX_CRYPT_GENSALT || defined HAVE_SOLARIS_CRYPT_GENSALT
+	    if (optarg[0] == '$'
+		    && strlen(optarg) > 2
+		    && *(optarg + strlen(optarg) - 1) == '$') {
+		salt_prefix = NOFAIL(strdup(optarg));
+		salt_minlen = 0;
+		salt_maxlen = 0;
+		rounds_support = 0;
+		break;
+	    }
+#endif
 	    for (i = 0; methods[i].method != NULL; i++)
 		if (strcaseeq(methods[i].method, optarg)) {
 		    salt_prefix = methods[i].prefix;