diff --git a/lib/compass/configuration.rb b/lib/compass/configuration.rb
index 15548aa6..60213235 100644
--- a/lib/compass/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/configuration.rb
@@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ module Compass
       :javascripts_dir,
       :output_style,
       :environment,
-      :http_images_path
+      :http_images_path,
+      :additional_import_paths
     ]
 
     attr_accessor *ATTRIBUTES
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ module Compass
         value = eval(prop.to_s, binding) rescue nil
         self.send("#{prop}=", value) if value
       end
+      if @added_import_paths
+        self.additional_import_paths ||= []
+        self.additional_import_paths += @added_import_paths
+      end
     end
 
     def set_all(options)
@@ -117,6 +122,15 @@ module Compass
       end
     end
 
+    def add_import_path(*paths)
+      # The @added_import_paths variable works around an issue where
+      # the additional_import_paths gets overwritten during parse
+      @added_import_paths ||= []
+      @added_import_paths += paths
+      self.additional_import_paths ||= []
+      self.additional_import_paths += paths
+    end
+
     # When called with a block, defines the asset host url to be used.
     # The block must return a string that starts with a protocol (E.g. http).
     # The block will be passed the root-relative url of the asset.
@@ -186,12 +200,25 @@ module Compass
       Compass::Frameworks::ALL.each do |framework|
         locations[framework.stylesheets_directory] = css_path || css_dir || "."
       end
+      resolve_additional_import_paths.each do |additional_path|
+        locations[additional_path] = File.join(css_path || css_dir || ".", File.basename(additional_path))
+      end
       plugin_opts = {:template_location => locations}
       plugin_opts[:style] = output_style if output_style
       plugin_opts[:line_comments] = default_line_comments if environment
       plugin_opts
     end
 
+    def resolve_additional_import_paths
+      (additional_import_paths || []).map do |path|
+        if project_path && !absolute_path?(path)
+          File.join(project_path, path)
+        else
+          path
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     def to_sass_engine_options
       engine_opts = {:load_paths => sass_load_paths}
       engine_opts[:style] = output_style if output_style
@@ -205,6 +232,7 @@ module Compass
       Compass::Frameworks::ALL.each do |framework|
         load_paths << framework.stylesheets_directory
       end
+      load_paths += resolve_additional_import_paths
       load_paths
     end
 
@@ -215,6 +243,7 @@ module Compass
       end
       @asset_cache_buster = nil
       @asset_host = nil
+      @added_import_paths = nil
       self.required_libraries = []
     end
 
@@ -223,6 +252,10 @@ module Compass
       super
     end
 
+    def absolute_path?(path)
+      # This is only going to work on unix, gonna need a better implementation.
+      path.index(File::SEPARATOR) == 0
+    end
   end
 
   module ConfigHelpers
diff --git a/test/configuration_test.rb b/test/configuration_test.rb
index c95ba0fd..7b31282e 100644
--- a/test/configuration_test.rb
+++ b/test/configuration_test.rb
@@ -63,4 +63,30 @@ class ConfigurationTest < Test::Unit::TestCase
     end
   end
 
+  def test_additional_import_paths
+    contents = <<-CONFIG
+      project_path = "/home/chris/my_compass_project"
+      css_dir = "css"
+      additional_import_paths = ["../foo"]
+      add_import_path "/path/to/my/framework"
+    CONFIG
+
+    Compass.configuration.parse_string(contents, "test_additional_import_paths")
+
+    assert Compass.configuration.to_sass_engine_options[:load_paths].include?("/home/chris/my_compass_project/../foo")
+    assert Compass.configuration.to_sass_engine_options[:load_paths].include?("/path/to/my/framework"), Compass.configuration.to_sass_engine_options[:load_paths].inspect
+    assert_equal "/home/chris/my_compass_project/css/framework", Compass.configuration.to_sass_plugin_options[:template_location]["/path/to/my/framework"]
+    assert_equal "/home/chris/my_compass_project/css/foo", Compass.configuration.to_sass_plugin_options[:template_location]["/home/chris/my_compass_project/../foo"]
+
+    expected_serialization = <<EXPECTED
+# Require any additional compass plugins here.
+project_path = "/home/chris/my_compass_project"
+css_dir = "css"
+# To enable relative image paths using the images_url() function:
+# http_images_path = :relative
+additional_import_paths = ["../foo", "/path/to/my/framework"]
+EXPECTED
+    assert_equal expected_serialization, Compass.configuration.serialize
+  end
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file