diff --git a/bin/jekyll b/bin/jekyll
index 309ffc91..c05d5dce 100755
--- a/bin/jekyll
+++ b/bin/jekyll
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ command :serve do |c|
 
   c.option '-w', '--watch', 'Watch for changes and rebuild'
   c.option '--lsi', 'Use LSI for improved related posts'
+  c.option '--drafts', 'Render posts in the _drafts folder'
 
   c.option '-p', '--port [PORT]', 'Port to listen on'
   c.option '-h', '--host [HOST]', 'Host to bind to'
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/post.rb b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
index 835f9a42..f94169b0 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/post.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/post.rb
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ module Jekyll
     # site       - The Site.
     # base       - The String path to the dir containing the post file.
     # name       - The String filename of the post file.
-    # categories - An Array of Strings for the categories for this post.
+    # subdir     - The String path to the subdirectory.
     #
     # Returns the new Post.
-    def initialize(site, source, dir, name)
+    def initialize(site, source, dir, name, subdir = '_posts')
       @site = site
-      @base = File.join(source, dir, '_posts')
+      @base = File.join(source, dir, subdir)
       @name = name
 
       self.categories = dir.split('/').reject { |x| x.empty? }
diff --git a/lib/jekyll/site.rb b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
index 462da488..636045be 100644
--- a/lib/jekyll/site.rb
+++ b/lib/jekyll/site.rb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ module Jekyll
   class Site
     attr_accessor :config, :layouts, :posts, :pages, :static_files,
                   :categories, :exclude, :include, :source, :dest, :lsi, :pygments,
-                  :permalink_style, :tags, :time, :future, :safe, :plugins, :limit_posts,
+                  :permalink_style, :tags, :time, :future, :safe, :plugins, :limit_posts, :show_drafts,
                   :keep_files
 
     attr_accessor :converters, :generators
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ module Jekyll
       self.exclude         = config['exclude'] || []
       self.include         = config['include'] || []
       self.future          = config['future']
+      self.show_drafts     = config['drafts'] || nil
       self.limit_posts     = config['limit_posts'] || nil
       self.keep_files      = config['keep_files'] || []
 
@@ -136,7 +137,19 @@ module Jekyll
       base = File.join(self.source, dir)
       entries = Dir.chdir(base) { filter_entries(Dir.entries('.')) }
 
-      self.read_posts(dir)
+      self.read_posts(dir,'_posts')
+
+      if self.show_drafts
+        self.read_posts(dir,'_drafts')
+      end
+
+      self.posts.sort!
+
+      # limit the posts if :limit_posts option is set
+      if limit_posts
+        limit = self.posts.length < limit_posts ? self.posts.length : limit_posts
+        self.posts = self.posts[-limit, limit]
+      end
 
       entries.each do |f|
         f_abs = File.join(base, f)
@@ -160,18 +173,19 @@ module Jekyll
     # Read all the files in <source>/<dir>/_posts and create a new Post
     # object with each one.
     #
-    # dir - The String relative path of the directory to read.
+    # dir    - The String relative path of the directory to read.
+    # subdir - The String relative path of the subdirectory to read.
     #
     # Returns nothing.
-    def read_posts(dir)
-      base = File.join(self.source, dir, '_posts')
+    def read_posts(dir, subdir)
+      base = File.join(self.source, dir, subdir)
       return unless File.exists?(base)
       entries = Dir.chdir(base) { filter_entries(Dir['**/*']) }
 
       # first pass processes, but does not yet render post content
       entries.each do |f|
         if Post.valid?(f)
-          post = Post.new(self, self.source, dir, f)
+          post = Post.new(self, self.source, dir, f, subdir)
 
           if post.published && (self.future || post.date <= self.time)
             self.posts << post
@@ -180,14 +194,6 @@ module Jekyll
           end
         end
       end
-
-      self.posts.sort!
-
-      # limit the posts if :limit_posts option is set
-      if limit_posts
-        limit = self.posts.length < limit_posts ? self.posts.length : limit_posts
-        self.posts = self.posts[-limit, limit]
-      end
     end
 
     # Run each of the Generators.