diff --git a/src/isync.h b/src/isync.h
index 76b4223..a5f4a52 100644
--- a/src/isync.h
+++ b/src/isync.h
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ extern const char *Home;
 #define VERBOSE      2
 #define QUIET        4
 #define VERYQUIET    8
+#define KEEPJOURNAL  16
 
 extern int DFlags;
 
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 3bba45a..4841b8b 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -372,6 +372,9 @@ main( int argc, char **argv )
 		case 'D':
 			DFlags |= DEBUG | QUIET;
 			break;
+		case 'J':
+			DFlags |= KEEPJOURNAL;
+			break;
 		case 'v':
 			version();
 		case 'h':
diff --git a/src/sync.c b/src/sync.c
index fb81ecb..2e55188 100644
--- a/src/sync.c
+++ b/src/sync.c
@@ -914,9 +914,11 @@ sync_boxes( store_t *ctx[], const char *names[], channel_conf_t *chan )
 
 	fclose( nfp );
 	fclose( jfp );
-	/* order is important! */
-	rename( nname, dname );
-	unlink( jname );
+	if (!(DFlags & KEEPJOURNAL)) {
+		/* order is important! */
+		rename( nname, dname );
+		unlink( jname );
+	}
 
   bail:
 	for (srec = recs; srec; srec = nsrec) {