diff --git a/lib/compass/commands/sprite.rb b/lib/compass/commands/sprite.rb
index 545cf19e..2e7a4481 100644
--- a/lib/compass/commands/sprite.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/commands/sprite.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ module Compass
         opts.on("-f SPRITE_FILE") do |output_file|
           self.options[:output_file] = output_file
         end
+        opts.on("--skip-overrides", "Skip the generation of sprite overrides") do |skip_overrides|
+          self.options[:skip_overrides] = skip_overrides
+        end
         opts.banner = %Q{
           Usage: compass sprite [options] "images/path/to/sprites/*.png"
 
@@ -41,7 +44,8 @@ module Compass
         image_names = sprite_images.map{|i| File.basename(i, '.png')}
         sprites.path, sprites.name = Compass::Sprites.path_and_name(relative_uri)
         options[:output_file] ||= File.join(Compass.configuration.sass_path, "sprites", "_#{sprites.name}.#{Compass.configuration.preferred_syntax}")
-        contents = sprites.content_for_images(relative_uri, sprites.name, image_names)
+        options[:skip_overrides] ||= false
+        contents = sprites.content_for_images(relative_uri, sprites.name, image_names, options[:skip_overrides])
         if options[:output_file][-4..-1] != "scss"
           contents = Sass::Engine.new(contents, Compass.sass_engine_options.merge(:syntax => :scss)).to_tree.to_sass
         end
diff --git a/lib/compass/sprites.rb b/lib/compass/sprites.rb
index 707d9bdb..70428fbb 100644
--- a/lib/compass/sprites.rb
+++ b/lib/compass/sprites.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ module Compass
       end
     end
 
-    def content_for_images(uri, name, images)
+    def content_for_images(uri, name, images, skip_overrides = false)
       <<-SCSS
 @import "compass/utilities/sprites/base";
 
@@ -47,22 +47,7 @@ $#{name}-position: 0% !default;
 $#{name}-spacing: 0 !default;
 $#{name}-repeat: no-repeat !default;
 
-// These variables control the generated sprite output
-// You can override them selectively before you import this file.
-#{images.map do |sprite_name| 
-<<-SCSS
-$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-position !default;
-$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-spacing !default;
-$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-repeat !default;
-SCSS
-end.join}
-
-$#{name}-sprites: sprite-map("#{uri}",
-#{images.map do |sprite_name| 
-%Q{  $#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position,
-  $#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing,
-  $#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat}
-end.join(",\n")});
+#{skip_overrides ? "$#{name}-sprites: sprite-map(\"#{uri}\");" : generate_overrides(uri, name, images) }
 
 // All sprites should extend this class
 // The #{name}-sprite mixin will do so for you.
@@ -118,5 +103,25 @@ SCSS
       ""
     end
 
+    def generate_overrides(uri, name,images)
+      content = <<-TXT
+// These variables control the generated sprite output
+// You can override them selectively before you import this file.
+      TXT
+      images.map do |sprite_name| 
+        content += <<-SCSS
+$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-position !default;
+$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-spacing !default;
+$#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-repeat !default;
+        SCSS
+      end.join
+      content += "\n$#{name}-sprites: sprite-map(\"#{uri}\",\n"
+      content += images.map do |sprite_name| 
+%Q{  $#{sprite_name}-position: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-position,
+  $#{sprite_name}-spacing: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-spacing,
+  $#{sprite_name}-repeat: $#{name}-#{sprite_name}-repeat}
+      end.join(",\n")
+      content += ");"
+    end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end