diff --git a/src/iperf_api.c b/src/iperf_api.c
index 77c0c59..0354421 100644
--- a/src/iperf_api.c
+++ b/src/iperf_api.c
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ iperf_parse_arguments(struct iperf_test *test, int argc, char **argv)
 			return -1;
 		    }
 		}
-                test->settings->rate = unit_atof(optarg);
+                test->settings->rate = unit_atof_rate(optarg);
 		rate_flag = 1;
 		client_flag = 1;
                 break;
diff --git a/src/units.c b/src/units.c
index 917422b..87a8471 100644
--- a/src/units.c
+++ b/src/units.c
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ extern    "C"
     const long MEGA_UNIT = 1024 * 1024;
     const long GIGA_UNIT = 1024 * 1024 * 1024;
 
+    const long KILO_RATE_UNIT = 1000;
+    const long MEGA_RATE_UNIT = 1000 * 1000;
+    const long GIGA_RATE_UNIT = 1000 * 1000 * 1000;
+
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------
  * unit_atof
  *
@@ -107,6 +111,44 @@ extern    "C"
 	          return n;
     }				/* end unit_atof */
 
+
+/* -------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * unit_atof_rate
+ *
+ * Similar to unit_atof, but uses 10-based rather than 2-based
+ * suffixes.
+ * ------------------------------------------------------------------- */
+
+    double    unit_atof_rate(const char *s)
+    {
+	double    n;
+	char      suffix = '\0';
+
+	          assert(s != NULL);
+
+	/* scan the number and any suffices */
+	          sscanf(s, "%lf%c", &n, &suffix);
+
+	/* convert according to [Gg Mm Kk] */
+	switch    (suffix)
+	{
+	case 'g': case 'G':
+	    n *= GIGA_RATE_UNIT;
+	    break;
+	case 'm': case 'M':
+	    n *= MEGA_RATE_UNIT;
+	    break;
+	case 'k': case 'K':
+	    n *= KILO_RATE_UNIT;
+	    break;
+	default:
+	    break;
+	}
+	          return n;
+    }				/* end unit_atof_rate */
+
+
+
 /* -------------------------------------------------------------------
  * unit_atoi
  *
diff --git a/src/units.h b/src/units.h
index dfd115a..ce99594 100644
--- a/src/units.h
+++ b/src/units.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 2009-2011, The Regents of the University of California,
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2011, 2014, The Regents of the University of California,
  * through Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (subject to receipt of any
  * required approvals from the U.S. Dept. of Energy).  All rights reserved.
  *
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@ enum {
 };
 
 double unit_atof( const char *s );
+double unit_atof_rate( const char *s );
 iperf_size_t unit_atoi( const char *s );
 void unit_snprintf( char *s, int inLen, double inNum, char inFormat );