diff --git a/docs/yum-builddep.1 b/docs/yum-builddep.1
index fbe32bd..54dce0e 100644
--- a/docs/yum-builddep.1
+++ b/docs/yum-builddep.1
@@ -17,6 +17,12 @@ disabled) or it can be a local source RPM or a spec file.
 .PP 
 Note, that only the BuildRequires information within the SRPM header information is used to determine build dependencies. This will specifically omit any dependencies that are required only for specific architectures.
 .PP
+.SH "GENERAL OPTIONS"
+.IP "\fB\--target ARCH\fP"
+Set target architecture for spec parsing.
+.IP "\fB\--define 'MACRO EXPR'\fP"
+Define the rpm MACRO with value EXPR for spec parsing.
+.PP
 .SH "EXAMPLES"
 .IP "Download and install all the RPMs needed to build the kernel RPM:"
 \fByumdownloader --source kernel && rpm2cpio kernel*src.rpm | cpio -i kernel.spec && \\ \fP
diff --git a/yum-builddep.py b/yum-builddep.py
index 5f59ab8..dfdd31b 100755
--- a/yum-builddep.py
+++ b/yum-builddep.py
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ class YumBuildDep(YumUtilBase):
         if hasattr(rpm, 'reloadConfig'):
             self.optparser.add_option("--target",
                               help="set target architecture for spec parsing")
+            self.optparser.add_option(
+                "--define",
+                action="append",
+                default=[],
+                metavar="'MACRO EXPR'",
+                help="define the rpm MACRO with value EXPR for spec parsing",
+            )
         self.main()
 
     def main(self):
@@ -229,11 +236,28 @@ class YumBuildDep(YumUtilBase):
             self.logger.info('Getting requirements for %s' % srpm)
             self.install_deps(srpm.requiresList(), opts)
     
+        # Parse macro defines
+        macros = []
+        error = False
+        for define in opts.define:
+            words = define.split(None, 1)
+            if len(words) == 1:
+                self.logger.error('Error: No EXPR given for MACRO %%%s'
+                                  % words[0])
+                error = True
+                continue
+            macros.append(words)
+        if error:
+            sys.exit(1)
+
         for name in specnames:
             # (re)load rpm config for target if set
             if reloadworks and opts.target:
                 rpm.reloadConfig(opts.target)
 
+            for macro in macros:
+                rpm.addMacro(*macro)
+
             try:
                 spec = rpm.spec(name)
             except ValueError: