diff --git a/lib/compass/commands/create_project.rb b/lib/compass/commands/create_project.rb
index fa3d2dbe..621da66a 100644
--- a/lib/compass/commands/create_project.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/commands/create_project.rb
@@ -39,6 +39,10 @@ module Compass
           self.options[:pattern] = framework[1]
         end
 
+        opts.on("-x", "--syntax SYNTAX", [:sass, :scss], "Specify the syntax to use when generating stylesheets.", "One of sass or scss. Defaults to scss.") do |syntax|
+          self.options[:preferred_syntax] = syntax
+        end
+
         super
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/compass/commands/stamp_pattern.rb b/lib/compass/commands/stamp_pattern.rb
index 97199a3c..0af1acf3 100644
--- a/lib/compass/commands/stamp_pattern.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/commands/stamp_pattern.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ Example:
 
 Options:
 }
+        opts.on("-x", "--syntax SYNTAX", [:sass, :scss], "Specify the syntax to use when generating stylesheets.", "One of sass or scss. Defaults to scss.") do |syntax|
+          self.options[:preferred_syntax] = syntax
+        end
+
         super
       end
     end
diff --git a/lib/compass/configuration.rb b/lib/compass/configuration.rb
index c6ca3e6a..e3d28978 100644
--- a/lib/compass/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/configuration.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ module Compass
       :asset_host,
       :asset_cache_buster,
       :line_comments,
-      :color_output
+      :color_output,
+      :preferred_syntax
     ].flatten
 
   end
diff --git a/lib/compass/configuration/defaults.rb b/lib/compass/configuration/defaults.rb
index 483276da..73e54da7 100644
--- a/lib/compass/configuration/defaults.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/configuration/defaults.rb
@@ -125,6 +125,9 @@ module Compass
         true
       end
 
+      def default_preferred_syntax
+        :scss
+      end
       # helper functions
 
       def http_join(*segments)
diff --git a/lib/compass/installers/base.rb b/lib/compass/installers/base.rb
index 28a2435f..0904b47d 100644
--- a/lib/compass/installers/base.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/installers/base.rb
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ module Compass
         self.logger = options[:logger]
       end
 
-      [:css_dir, :sass_dir, :images_dir, :javascripts_dir, :http_stylesheets_path, :fonts_dir].each do |dir|
+      [:css_dir, :sass_dir, :images_dir, :javascripts_dir, :http_stylesheets_path, :fonts_dir, :preferred_syntax].each do |dir|
         define_method dir do
           Compass.configuration.send(dir)
         end
@@ -79,6 +79,19 @@ module Compass
         "#{sass_dir}/#{pattern_name_as_dir}#{to}"
       end
 
+      def install_stylesheet(from, to, options)
+        from = templatize(from)
+        to = targetize(install_location_for_stylesheet(to, options))
+        contents = File.new(from).read
+        if preferred_syntax.to_s != from[-4..-1]
+          logger.record :convert, basename(from)
+          tree = Sass::Engine.new(contents, Compass.sass_engine_options).to_tree
+          contents = tree.send("to_#{preferred_syntax}")
+          to[-4..-1] = preferred_syntax.to_s
+        end
+        write_file to, contents
+      end
+
       installer :css do |to|
         "#{css_dir}/#{to}"
       end
diff --git a/lib/compass/logger.rb b/lib/compass/logger.rb
index bd6c97a1..5d77295d 100644
--- a/lib/compass/logger.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/logger.rb
@@ -7,15 +7,16 @@ module Compass
     COLORS = { :clear => 0, :red => 31, :green => 32, :yellow => 33 }
 
     ACTION_COLORS = {
-      :error => :red,
-      :warning => :yellow,
-      :compile => :green,
+      :error     => :red,
+      :warning   => :yellow,
+      :compile   => :green,
       :overwrite => :yellow,
-      :create => :green,
-      :remove => :yellow,
-      :exists => :green,
+      :create    => :green,
+      :remove    => :yellow,
+      :exists    => :green,
       :directory => :green,
-      :identical => :green
+      :identical => :green,
+      :convert   => :green
     }