diff --git a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
index ff3d12df..b660514a 100644
--- a/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/sass_extensions/functions/sprites.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
         file = File.join(Compass.configuration.images_path, relative_file)
         width, height = Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::ImageSize::ImageProperties.new(file).size
         sprite_name = Compass::Sprites.sprite_name(relative_file)
-        @width = [@width, width].max
+        position = position_for(sprite_name)
+        offset = (position.unitless? || position.unit_str == "px") ? position.value : 0
         @images << {
           :name => sprite_name,
           :file => file,
@@ -69,9 +70,10 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
           :width => width,
           :repeat => repeat_for(sprite_name),
           :spacing => spacing_for(sprite_name),
-          :position => position_for(sprite_name),
+          :position => position,
           :digest => Digest::MD5.file(file).hexdigest
         }
+        @width = [@width, width + offset].max
       end
       @images.each_with_index do |image, index|
         if index == 0
@@ -329,7 +331,7 @@ module Compass::SassExtensions::Functions::Sprites
     if offset_x.unit_str == "%"
       x = offset_x # CE: Shouldn't this be a percentage of the total width?
     else
-      x = offset_x.value - image[:left]
+      x = offset_x.value + image[:left]
       x = Sass::Script::Number.new(x, x == 0 ? [] : ["px"])
     end
     y = offset_y.value - image[:top]
diff --git a/spec/sprites_spec.rb b/spec/sprites_spec.rb
index b4f90337..331729d7 100644
--- a/spec/sprites_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/sprites_spec.rb
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-1 {
-        background-position: -6px 0;
+        background-position: 14px 0;
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-2 {
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-1 {
-        background-position: -6px 0;
+        background-position: 14px 0;
       }
       
       .adjusted-px-2 {
@@ -348,6 +348,30 @@ describe Compass::Sprites do
     image_size('squares-*.png').should == [20, 30]
     image_md5('squares-*.png').should == '0187306f3858136feee87d3017e7f307'
   end
+
+  it "should allow the position of a sprite to be specified in absolute pixels" do
+    css = render <<-SCSS
+      $squares-ten-by-ten-position: 10px;
+      $squares-twenty-by-twenty-position: 10px;
+      @import "squares/*.png";
+      @include all-squares-sprites;
+    SCSS
+    css.should == <<-CSS
+      .squares-sprite, .squares-ten-by-ten, .squares-twenty-by-twenty {
+        background: url('/squares-89a274044e.png') no-repeat;
+      }
+      
+      .squares-ten-by-ten {
+        background-position: 10px 0;
+      }
+      
+      .squares-twenty-by-twenty {
+        background-position: 10px -10px;
+      }
+    CSS
+    image_size('squares-*.png').should == [30, 30]
+    image_md5('squares-*.png').should == '262766d3e342f72b052f5708da6a1bf3'
+  end
   
   it "should provide a nice errors for lemonade's old users" do
     proc do