diff --git a/capture_opts.c b/capture_opts.c
index 74b1a7992a..6cb03a7a29 100644
--- a/capture_opts.c
+++ b/capture_opts.c
@@ -301,6 +301,11 @@ capture_opts_add_opt(capture_options *capture_opts, const char *appname, int opt
           exit(1);
         }
         break;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+    case 'B':        /* Buffer size */
+        capture_opts->buffer_size = get_positive_int(appname, optarg, "buffer size");
+        break;
+#endif
     case 'c':        /* Capture xxx packets */
         capture_opts->has_autostop_packets = TRUE;
         capture_opts->autostop_packets = get_positive_int(appname, optarg, "packet count");
diff --git a/capture_sync.c b/capture_sync.c
index ebc38b216d..9c177afe67 100644
--- a/capture_sync.c
+++ b/capture_sync.c
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ sync_pipe_start(capture_options *capture_opts) {
     char sautostop_filesize[ARGV_NUMBER_LEN];
     char sautostop_duration[ARGV_NUMBER_LEN];
 #ifdef _WIN32
+    char buffer_size[ARGV_NUMBER_LEN];
     char sync_pipe_fd[ARGV_NUMBER_LEN];
     char signal_pipe_fd[ARGV_NUMBER_LEN];
     char *fontstring;
@@ -459,6 +460,10 @@ sync_pipe_start(capture_options *capture_opts) {
 
     capture_opts->signal_pipe_fd = signal_pipe[PIPE_WRITE];
 
+    argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-B");
+    sprintf(buffer_size,"%d",capture_opts->buffer_size);
+    argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, buffer_size);
+
     /* Convert font name to a quote-encapsulated string and pass to child */
     argv = sync_pipe_add_arg(argv, &argc, "-m");
     fontstring = sync_pipe_quote_encapsulate(prefs.PREFS_GUI_FONT_NAME);
diff --git a/doc/ethereal.pod b/doc/ethereal.pod
index 2e62a40bfe..17c30546a3 100644
--- a/doc/ethereal.pod
+++ b/doc/ethereal.pod
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ ethereal - Interactively browse network traffic
 B<ethereal>
 S<[ B<-a> capture autostop condition ] ...>
 S<[ B<-b> ring buffer options] ...>
+S<[ B<-B> capture buffer size (Win32 only) ] ...>
 S<[ B<-c> count ]>
 S<[ B<-f> capture filter expression ]>
 S<[ B<-h> ]>
@@ -207,6 +208,12 @@ I<value> kilobytes (where a kilobyte is 1000 bytes, not 1024 bytes).
 B<files>:I<value> begin again with the first file after I<value> number of 
 files were written (form a ring buffer).
 
+=item -B
+
+Win32 only: set capture buffer size (in MB, default is 1MB). This is used by the
+the capture driver to buffer packet data until that data can be written to 
+disk. If you encounter packet drops while capturing, try to increase this size.
+
 =item -c
 
 Set the default number of packets to read when capturing live
diff --git a/gtk/main.c b/gtk/main.c
index 8c81ecbe69..a923e876fe 100644
--- a/gtk/main.c
+++ b/gtk/main.c
@@ -1610,15 +1610,18 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBPCAP
 #ifdef _WIN32
 #define OPTSTRING_CHILD "W:Z:"
+#define OPTSTRING_WIN32 "B:"
 #else
 #define OPTSTRING_CHILD "W:"
+#define OPTSTRING_WIN32 ""
 #endif  /* _WIN32 */
 #else
 #define OPTSTRING_CHILD ""
+#define OPTSTRING_WIN32 ""
 #endif  /* HAVE_LIBPCAP */
 
-  char optstring[sizeof(OPTSTRING_INIT) + sizeof(OPTSTRING_CHILD) - 1] =
-    OPTSTRING_INIT;
+  char optstring[sizeof(OPTSTRING_INIT) + sizeof(OPTSTRING_CHILD) + sizeof(OPTSTRING_WIN32) - 2] =
+    OPTSTRING_INIT OPTSTRING_WIN32;
 
 
   /* Set the current locale according to the program environment.
@@ -1946,6 +1949,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
       case 'w':        /* Write to capture file xxx */
       case 'y':        /* Set the pcap data link type */
 #ifdef _WIN32
+      case 'B':        /* Buffer size */
       /* Hidden option supporting Sync mode */
       case 'Z':        /* Write to pipe FD XXX */
 #endif /* _WIN32 */