diff --git a/Documentation/git-rebase.txt b/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
index 4e8438098f..d639985693 100644
--- a/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
+++ b/Documentation/git-rebase.txt
@@ -253,8 +253,7 @@ OPTIONS
 
 -p::
 --preserve-merges::
-	Instead of ignoring merges, try to recreate them.  This option
-	only works in interactive mode.
+	Instead of ignoring merges, try to recreate them.
 
 include::merge-strategies.txt[]
 
diff --git a/git-rebase.sh b/git-rebase.sh
index f2742aa054..023a6dc94a 100755
--- a/git-rebase.sh
+++ b/git-rebase.sh
@@ -139,10 +139,26 @@ finish_rb_merge () {
 }
 
 is_interactive () {
-	test -f "$dotest"/interactive ||
-	while :; do case $#,"$1" in 0,|*,-i|*,--interactive) break ;; esac
+	while test $# != 0
+	do
+		case "$1" in
+			-i|--interactive)
+				interactive_rebase=explicit
+				break
+			;;
+			-p|--preserve-merges)
+				interactive_rebase=implied
+			;;
+		esac
 		shift
-	done && test -n "$1"
+	done
+
+	if [ "$interactive_rebase" = implied ]; then
+		GIT_EDITOR=:
+		export GIT_EDITOR
+	fi
+
+	test -n "$interactive_rebase" || test -f "$dotest"/interactive
 }
 
 run_pre_rebase_hook () {
diff --git a/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh b/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..8cde40f8e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/t/t3409-rebase-preserve-merges.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Copyright(C) 2008 Stephen Habermann & Andreas Ericsson
+#
+test_description='git rebase -p should preserve merges
+
+Run "git rebase -p" and check that merges are properly carried along
+'
+. ./test-lib.sh
+
+GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL=bogus_email_address
+export GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL
+
+#echo 'Setting up:
+#
+#A1--A2  <-- origin/master
+# \   \
+#  B1--M  <-- topic
+#   \
+#    B2  <-- origin/topic
+#
+#'
+
+test_expect_success 'setup for merge-preserving rebase' \
+	'echo First > A &&
+	git add A &&
+	git-commit -m "Add A1" &&
+	git checkout -b topic &&
+	echo Second > B &&
+	git add B &&
+	git-commit -m "Add B1" &&
+	git checkout -f master &&
+	echo Third >> A &&
+	git-commit -a -m "Modify A2" &&
+
+	git clone ./. clone1 &&
+	cd clone1 &&
+	git checkout -b topic origin/topic &&
+	git merge origin/master &&
+	cd ..
+
+	git clone ./. clone2
+	cd clone2 &&
+	git checkout -b topic origin/topic &&
+	git merge origin/master &&
+	cd .. &&
+
+	git checkout topic &&
+	echo Fourth >> B &&
+	git commit -a -m "Modify B2"
+'
+
+test_expect_success 'rebase -p fakes interactive rebase' '
+	cd clone2 &&
+	git fetch &&
+	git rebase -p origin/topic &&
+	test 1 = $(git rev-list --all --pretty=oneline | grep "Modify A" | wc -l) &&
+	test 1 = $(git rev-list --all --pretty=oneline | grep "Merge commit" | wc -l)
+'
+
+test_done