diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/common.sh b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/common.sh
index 34aacf8f22e7..e685ea1197a7 100644
--- a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/common.sh
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/common.sh
@@ -233,6 +233,12 @@ reset_test()
 #
 eval_clean()
 {
+	#
+	# If you have special cleaning needs, provide a 'cleanup' shell script.
+	#
+	if [ -n "${TEST_CLEANUP}" ] ; then
+		. ${SRC_DIR}/cleanup
+	fi
 	rm -rf ${WORK_DIR}
 	rm -rf ${OUTPUT_DIR}
 }
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/Makefile b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/Makefile
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fc95f46e679e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/Makefile
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+#
+# Can we traverse up to / and find a 'mk/sys.mk'?
+#
+all:
+	@echo ${DASH_M_DOTDOTDOT}
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.status.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.status.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..573541ac9702
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.status.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.stderr.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.stderr.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.stdout.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.stdout.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6f29307aecc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/expected.stdout.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Found_DotDotDot_sys_mk
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/test.t b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/test.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..9a781570fd15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/2/1/test.t
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+cd `dirname $0`
+. ../../../../common.sh
+
+# Description
+DESC="Can we traverse up to / and find a 'mk/sys.mk'?"
+
+# Run
+TEST_N=1
+TEST_1="-m .../mk"
+TEST_MAKE_DIRS="../../mk 755"
+TEST_COPY_FILES="../../mk/sys.mk 644"
+
+eval_cmd $*
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/mk/sys.mk b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/mk/sys.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..60f195533ed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t0/mk/sys.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+DASH_M_DOTDOTDOT=Found_DotDotDot_sys_mk
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/cleanup b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/cleanup
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c3d58b79e422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/cleanup
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+rm -rf ${WORK_DIR}/../../../t0/2/1
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.status.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.status.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..573541ac9702
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.status.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.stderr.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.stderr.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.stdout.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.stdout.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6f29307aecc3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/expected.stdout.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Found_DotDotDot_sys_mk
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/test.t b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/test.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ad1584f82d1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/2/1/test.t
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+cd `dirname $0`
+. ../../../../common.sh
+
+# Description
+DESC="Can we traverse up to / and find a 'mk/sys.mk' with -C -m?"
+
+# Run
+TEST_N=1
+TEST_1="-C ../../../t0/2/1 -m .../mk"
+TEST_MAKE_DIRS="../../mk 755 ../../../t0/mk 755 ../../../t0/2/1 755"
+TEST_COPY_FILES="../../mk/sys.mk 644 ../../../t0/mk/sys.mk 644 ../../../t0/2/1/Makefile 644"
+TEST_CLEAN_FILES="../../../t0/2/1"
+TEST_CLEANUP=clean-special
+
+eval_cmd $*
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/mk/sys.mk b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/mk/sys.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..99b8ecc1d389
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t1/mk/sys.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+DASH_M_DOTDOTDOT=Found_WRONG_DotDotDot_sys_mk__with_C_before_m
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/cleanup b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/cleanup
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c3d58b79e422
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/cleanup
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+rm -rf ${WORK_DIR}/../../../t0/2/1
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.status.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.status.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..573541ac9702
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.status.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+0
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.stderr.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.stderr.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e69de29bb2d1
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.stdout.1 b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.stdout.1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..70f1be3c507c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/expected.stdout.1
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Found_DotDotDot_sys_mk__with_m_before_C
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/test.t b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/test.t
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..2c4dff35bde1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/2/1/test.t
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+cd `dirname $0`
+. ../../../../common.sh
+
+# Description
+DESC="Can we traverse up to / and find a 'mk/sys.mk' with -m -C?"
+
+# Run
+TEST_N=1
+TEST_1="-m .../mk -C ../../../t0/2/1"
+TEST_MAKE_DIRS="../../mk 755 ../../../t0/mk 755 ../../../t0/2/1 755"
+TEST_COPY_FILES="../../mk/sys.mk 644 ../../../t0/mk/sys.mk 644 ../../../t0/2/1/Makefile 644"
+TEST_CLEAN_FILES="../../../t0/2/1"
+TEST_CLEANUP=clean-special
+
+eval_cmd $*
diff --git a/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/mk/sys.mk b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/mk/sys.mk
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..55632fdc90a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/regression/usr.bin/make/sysmk/t2/mk/sys.mk
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+# $FreeBSD$
+
+DASH_M_DOTDOTDOT=Found_DotDotDot_sys_mk__with_m_before_C
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/dir.c b/usr.bin/make/dir.c
index 9b529ea5fc57..7cee3d461e2b 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/dir.c
+++ b/usr.bin/make/dir.c
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
  *			If it exists, the entire path is returned.
  *			Otherwise NULL is returned.
  *
+ *	Dir_FindHereOrAbove Search for a path in the current directory and
+ *			then all the directories above it in turn until
+ *			the path is found or we reach the root ("/").
+ *
  *	Dir_MTime	Return the modification time of a node. The file
  *			is searched for along the default search path.
  *			The path and mtime fields of the node are filled in.
@@ -83,7 +87,7 @@ __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
  *	Dir_PrintDirectories	Print stats about the directory cache.
  */
 
-#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/param.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <err.h>
@@ -849,6 +853,83 @@ Path_FindFile(char *name, struct Path *path)
 	}
 }
 
+/*-
+ *-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Dir_FindHereOrAbove  --
+ *	search for a path starting at a given directory and then working
+ *	our way up towards the root.
+ *
+ * Input:
+ *	here		starting directory
+ *	search_path	the path we are looking for
+ *	result		the result of a successful search is placed here
+ *	rlen		the length of the result buffer
+ *			(typically MAXPATHLEN + 1)
+ *
+ * Results:
+ *	0 on failure, 1 on success [in which case the found path is put
+ *	in the result buffer].
+ *
+ * Side Effects:
+ *-----------------------------------------------------------------------
+ */
+int
+Dir_FindHereOrAbove(char *here, char *search_path, char *result, int rlen)
+{
+	struct stat st;
+	char dirbase[MAXPATHLEN + 1], *db_end;
+	char try[MAXPATHLEN + 1], *try_end;
+
+	/* copy out our starting point */
+	snprintf(dirbase, sizeof(dirbase), "%s", here);
+	db_end = dirbase + strlen(dirbase);
+
+	/* loop until we determine a result */
+	while (1) {
+		/* try and stat(2) it ... */
+		snprintf(try, sizeof(try), "%s/%s", dirbase, search_path);
+		if (stat(try, &st) != -1) {
+			/*
+			 * Success!  If we found a file, chop off
+			 * the filename so we return a directory.
+			 */
+			if ((st.st_mode & S_IFMT) != S_IFDIR) {
+				try_end = try + strlen(try);
+				while (try_end > try && *try_end != '/')
+					try_end--;
+				if (try_end > try)
+					*try_end = 0;	/* chop! */
+			}
+
+			/*
+			 * Done!
+			 */
+			snprintf(result, rlen, "%s", try);
+			return(1);
+		}
+
+		/*
+		 * Nope, we didn't find it.  If we used up dirbase we've
+		 * reached the root and failed.
+		 */
+		if (db_end == dirbase)
+			break;		/* Failed! */
+
+		/*
+		 * truncate dirbase from the end to move up a dir
+		 */
+		while (db_end > dirbase && *db_end != '/')
+			db_end--;
+		*db_end = 0;		/* chop! */
+
+	} /* while (1) */
+
+	/*
+	 * We failed...
+	 */
+	return(0);
+}
+
 /*-
  *-----------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Dir_MTime  --
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/dir.h b/usr.bin/make/dir.h
index 03481b869790..1ae89aeac61e 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/dir.h
+++ b/usr.bin/make/dir.h
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ TAILQ_HEAD(Path, PathElement);
 void Dir_Init(void);
 void Dir_InitDot(void);
 Boolean Dir_HasWildcards(const char *);
+int Dir_FindHereOrAbove(char *, char *, char *, int);
 int Dir_MTime(struct GNode *);
 void Dir_PrintDirectories(void);
 
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/main.c b/usr.bin/make/main.c
index eec6bbf1e247..91638d4212bf 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/main.c
+++ b/usr.bin/make/main.c
@@ -368,6 +368,7 @@ MainParseArgs(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int c;
 	Boolean	found_dd = FALSE;
+	char found_dir[MAXPATHLEN + 1];	/* for searching for sys.mk */
 
 rearg:
 	optind = 1;	/* since we're called more than once */
@@ -394,6 +395,8 @@ MainParseArgs(int argc, char **argv)
 		case 'C':
 			if (chdir(optarg) == -1)
 				err(1, "chdir %s", optarg);
+			if (getcwd(curdir, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
+				err(2, NULL);
 			break;
 		case 'D':
 			Var_SetGlobal(optarg, "1");
@@ -492,7 +495,15 @@ MainParseArgs(int argc, char **argv)
 			MFLAGS_append("-k", NULL);
 			break;
 		case 'm':
-			Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, optarg);
+			/* look for magic parent directory search string */
+			if (strncmp(".../", optarg, 4) == 0) {
+				if (!Dir_FindHereOrAbove(curdir, optarg + 4,
+				    found_dir, sizeof(found_dir)))
+					break;		/* nothing doing */
+				Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, found_dir);
+			} else {
+				Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, optarg);
+			}
 			MFLAGS_append("-m", optarg);
 			break;
 		case 'n':
@@ -869,6 +880,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	char mdpath[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char obpath[MAXPATHLEN];
 	char cdpath[MAXPATHLEN];
+	char found_dir[MAXPATHLEN + 1];	/* for searching for sys.mk */
 	char *cp = NULL, *start;
 
 	save_argv = argv;
@@ -1021,6 +1033,12 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	}
 	Job_SetPrefix();
 
+	/*
+	 * Find where we are...
+	 */
+	if (getcwd(curdir, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
+		err(2, NULL);
+
 	/*
 	 * First snag things out of the MAKEFLAGS environment
 	 * variable.  Then parse the command line arguments.
@@ -1030,11 +1048,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	MainParseArgs(argc, argv);
 
 	/*
-	 * Find where we are...
+	 * Verify that cwd is sane (after -C may have changed it).
 	 */
-	if (getcwd(curdir, MAXPATHLEN) == NULL)
-		err(2, NULL);
-
 	{
 	struct stat sa;
 
@@ -1132,18 +1147,37 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	 * as dir1:...:dirn) to the system include path.
 	 */
 	if (TAILQ_EMPTY(&sysIncPath)) {
-		char syspath[] = PATH_DEFSYSPATH;
+		char defsyspath[] = PATH_DEFSYSPATH;
+		char *syspath = getenv("MAKESYSPATH");
+
+		/*
+		 * If no user-supplied system path was given (thru -m option)
+		 * add the directories from the DEFSYSPATH (more than one may
+		 * be given as dir1:...:dirn) to the system include path.
+		 */
+		if (syspath == NULL || *syspath == '\0')
+			syspath = defsyspath;
+		else
+			syspath = estrdup(syspath);
 
 		for (start = syspath; *start != '\0'; start = cp) {
 			for (cp = start; *cp != '\0' && *cp != ':'; cp++)
 				continue;
-			if (*cp == '\0') {
-				Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, start);
-			} else {
+			if (*cp == ':') {
 				*cp++ = '\0';
+			}
+			/* look for magic parent directory search string */
+			if (strncmp(".../", start, 4) == 0) {
+				if (Dir_FindHereOrAbove(curdir, start + 4,
+				    found_dir, sizeof(found_dir))) {
+					Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, found_dir);
+				}
+			} else {
 				Path_AddDir(&sysIncPath, start);
 			}
 		}
+		if (syspath != defsyspath)
+			free(syspath);
 	}
 
 	/*
diff --git a/usr.bin/make/make.1 b/usr.bin/make/make.1
index a4e837ceba49..2c478a3d1e7a 100644
--- a/usr.bin/make/make.1
+++ b/usr.bin/make/make.1
@@ -240,6 +240,36 @@ The system include path will always be appended to the search path used
 for "..."-style inclusions and makefile searches (see the
 .Fl I
 option).
+.Pp
+If a file or directory name in the
+.Fl m
+argument (or the
+.Ev MAKESYSPATH
+environment variable) starts with the string
+.Qq \&.../
+then
+.Nm
+will search for the specified file or directory named in the remaining part
+of the argument string.
+The search starts with the current directory of the Makefile and then works
+upward towards the root of the filesystem.
+If the search is successful,
+then the resulting directory replaces the
+.Qq \&.../
+specification in the
+.Fl m
+argument.
+If used, this feature allows
+.Nm
+to easily search in the current source tree for customized sys.mk files
+(e.g. by using
+.Qq \&.../mk/sys.mk
+as an argument).
+Note that a
+.Fl C
+that are earlier on the command line affect where
+.Fl m Qq \&.../
+searches.
 .It Fl n
 Display the commands that would have been executed, but do not actually
 execute them.
@@ -1665,8 +1695,9 @@ utility uses the following environment variables, if they exist:
 .Ev MAKE ,
 .Ev MAKEFLAGS ,
 .Ev MAKEOBJDIR ,
+.Ev MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX ,
 and
-.Ev MAKEOBJDIRPREFIX .
+.Ev MAKESYSPATH .
 .Sh FILES
 .Bl -tag -width /usr/share/doc/psd/12.make -compact
 .It Pa .depend