diff --git a/doc/go_spec.html b/doc/go_spec.html
index 1ead370ea0..310efe3a85 100644
--- a/doc/go_spec.html
+++ b/doc/go_spec.html
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <!-- title The Go Programming Language Specification -->
-<!-- subtitle Version of August 31, 2011 -->
+<!-- subtitle Version of September 29, 2011 -->
 
 <!--
 TODO
@@ -4658,6 +4658,10 @@ The values <code>x</code> are passed to a parameter of type <code>...T</code>
 where <code>T</code> is the <a href="#Slice_types">element type</a> of
 <code>S</code> and the respective
 <a href="#Passing_arguments_to_..._parameters">parameter passing rules</a> apply.
+As a special case, <code>append</code> also accepts a first argument
+assignable to type <code>[]byte</code> with a second argument of
+string type followed by <code>...</code>. This form appends the
+bytes of the string.
 </p>
 
 <pre class="grammar">
@@ -4668,7 +4672,7 @@ append(s S, x ...T) S  // T is the element type of S
 If the capacity of <code>s</code> is not large enough to fit the additional
 values, <code>append</code> allocates a new, sufficiently large slice that fits
 both the existing slice elements and the additional values. Thus, the returned
-slice may refer to a different underlying array. 
+slice may refer to a different underlying array.
 </p>
 
 <pre>
@@ -4679,6 +4683,9 @@ s3 := append(s2, s0...)    // append a slice              s3 == []int{0, 0, 2, 3
 
 var t []interface{}
 t = append(t, 42, 3.1415, "foo")                          t == []interface{}{42, 3.1415, "foo"}
+
+var b []byte
+b = append(b, "bar"...)    // append string contents      b == []byte{'b', 'a', 'r' }
 </pre>
 
 <p>
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c.boot b/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c.boot
index 6737981340..fdfe3dce9a 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c.boot
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/builtin.c.boot
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ char *runtimeimport =
 	"func @\"\".concatstring ()\n"
 	"func @\"\".append ()\n"
 	"func @\"\".appendslice (typ *uint8, x any, y []any) any\n"
+	"func @\"\".appendstr (typ *uint8, x []uint8, y string) []uint8\n"
 	"func @\"\".cmpstring (? string, ? string) int\n"
 	"func @\"\".slicestring (? string, ? int, ? int) string\n"
 	"func @\"\".slicestring1 (? string, ? int) string\n"
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go b/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
index 549f7abe38..2461af2fc1 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/runtime.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func concatstring()
 // filled in by compiler: Type*, int n, Slice, ...
 func append()
 func appendslice(typ *byte, x any, y []any) any
+func appendstr(typ *byte, x []byte, y string) []byte
 
 func cmpstring(string, string) int
 func slicestring(string, int, int) string
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
index b9c302ce8e..9e9e9f9a81 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/typecheck.c
@@ -1008,6 +1008,10 @@ reswitch:
 				yyerror("too many arguments to append");
 				goto error;
 			}
+			if(istype(t->type, TUINT8) &&  istype(args->next->n->type, TSTRING)) {
+				defaultlit(&args->next->n, types[TSTRING]);
+				goto ret;
+			}
 			args->next->n = assignconv(args->next->n, t->orig, "append");
 			goto ret;
 		}
@@ -1039,7 +1043,7 @@ reswitch:
 			goto error;
 		defaultlit(&n->left, T);
 		defaultlit(&n->right, T);
-		
+
 		// copy([]byte, string)
 		if(isslice(n->left->type) && n->right->type->etype == TSTRING) {
 			if(n->left->type->type == types[TUINT8])
@@ -1047,7 +1051,7 @@ reswitch:
 			yyerror("arguments to copy have different element types: %lT and string", n->left->type);
 			goto error;
 		}
-			       
+
 		if(!isslice(n->left->type) || !isslice(n->right->type)) {
 			if(!isslice(n->left->type) && !isslice(n->right->type))
 				yyerror("arguments to copy must be slices; have %lT, %lT", n->left->type, n->right->type);
diff --git a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
index 8a84956a67..f551e3dbc0 100644
--- a/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
+++ b/src/cmd/gc/walk.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ static int
 paramoutheap(Node *fn)
 {
 	NodeList *l;
-	
+
 	for(l=fn->dcl; l; l=l->next) {
 		switch(l->n->class) {
 		case PPARAMOUT|PHEAP:
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 	case OLEN:
 	case OCAP:
 		walkexpr(&n->left, init);
-		
+
 		// replace len(*[10]int) with 10.
 		// delayed until now to preserve side effects.
 		t = n->left->type;
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 			n->typecheck = 1;
 		}
 		goto ret;
-	
+
 	case OLSH:
 	case ORSH:
 	case OAND:
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		walkexpr(&n->left, init);
 		walkexpr(&n->right, init);
 		goto ret;
-	
+
 	case OANDAND:
 	case OOROR:
 		walkexpr(&n->left, init);
@@ -553,7 +553,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		walkexprlistsafe(n->list, init);
 		walkexpr(&r, init);
 		l = n->list->n;
-		
+
 		// all the really hard stuff - explicit function calls and so on -
 		// is gone, but map assignments remain.
 		// if there are map assignments here, assign via
@@ -648,7 +648,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		if(n->op == ODOTTYPE2)
 			*p++ = '2';
 		*p = '\0';
-	
+
 		fn = syslook(buf, 1);
 		ll = list1(typename(n->type));
 		ll = list(ll, n->left);
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		else
 			*p++ = 'I';
 		*p = '\0';
-		
+
 		fn = syslook(buf, 1);
 		ll = nil;
 		if(!isinter(n->left->type))
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 		}
 		if(v1 >= 0 && v2 >= 0 && v1 > v2)
 			yyerror("inverted slice range");
-		
+
 		if(n->op == OSLICEARR)
 			goto slicearray;
 
@@ -925,7 +925,7 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 				l,
 				nodintconst(t->type->width));
 		}
-		n->etype = et;  // preserve no-typecheck flag from OSLICE to the slice* call.
+		n->etype = et;	// preserve no-typecheck flag from OSLICE to the slice* call.
 		goto ret;
 
 	slicearray:
@@ -1054,10 +1054,14 @@ walkexpr(Node **np, NodeList **init)
 				l);
 		}
 		goto ret;
-	
+
 	case OAPPEND:
-		if(n->isddd)
-			n = appendslice(n, init);
+		if(n->isddd) {
+			if(istype(n->type->type, TUINT8) && istype(n->list->next->n->type, TSTRING))
+				n = mkcall("appendstr", n->type, init, typename(n->type), n->list->n, n->list->next->n);
+			else
+				n = appendslice(n, init);
+		}
 		else
 			n = append(n, init);
 		goto ret;
@@ -1319,7 +1323,7 @@ mkdotargslice(NodeList *lr0, NodeList *nn, Type *l, int fp, NodeList **init, int
 {
 	Node *a, *n;
 	Type *tslice;
-	
+
 	tslice = typ(TARRAY);
 	tslice->type = l->type->type;
 	tslice->bound = -1;
@@ -1413,7 +1417,7 @@ ascompatte(int op, Node *call, int isddd, Type **nl, NodeList *lr, int fp, NodeL
 	if(lr)
 		r = lr->n;
 	nn = nil;
-	
+
 	// f(g()) where g has multiple return values
 	if(r != N && lr->next == nil && r->type->etype == TSTRUCT && r->type->funarg) {
 		// optimization - can do block copy
@@ -1423,7 +1427,7 @@ ascompatte(int op, Node *call, int isddd, Type **nl, NodeList *lr, int fp, NodeL
 			nn = list1(convas(nod(OAS, a, r), init));
 			goto ret;
 		}
-		
+
 		// conversions involved.
 		// copy into temporaries.
 		alist = nil;
@@ -1714,10 +1718,10 @@ convas(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 			n->left->left, n->left->right, n->right);
 		goto out;
 	}
-	
+
 	if(eqtype(lt, rt))
 		goto out;
-	
+
 	n->right = assignconv(n->right, lt, "assignment");
 	walkexpr(&n->right, init);
 
@@ -1952,7 +1956,7 @@ heapmoves(void)
 {
 	NodeList *nn;
 	int32 lno;
-	
+
 	lno = lineno;
 	lineno = curfn->lineno;
 	nn = paramstoheap(getthis(curfn->type), 0);
@@ -2060,7 +2064,7 @@ addstr(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 	Node *r, *cat, *typstr;
 	NodeList *in, *args;
 	int i, count;
-	
+
 	count = 0;
 	for(r=n; r->op == OADDSTR; r=r->left)
 		count++;	// r->right
@@ -2089,7 +2093,7 @@ addstr(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 	typecheck(&r, Erv);
 	walkexpr(&r, init);
 	r->type = n->type;
-	
+
 	return r;
 }
 
@@ -2097,7 +2101,7 @@ static Node*
 appendslice(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 {
 	Node *f;
-	
+
 	f = syslook("appendslice", 1);
 	argtype(f, n->type);
 	argtype(f, n->type->type);
@@ -2111,7 +2115,7 @@ appendslice(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 //     s := src
 //     const argc = len(args) - 1
 //     if cap(s) - len(s) < argc {
-//          s = growslice(s, argc) 
+//	    s = growslice(s, argc)
 //     }
 //     n := len(s)
 //     s = s[:n+argc]
@@ -2140,13 +2144,13 @@ append(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 	ns = temp(nsrc->type);
 	l = list(l, nod(OAS, ns, nsrc));  // s = src
 
-	na = nodintconst(argc);         // const argc
-	nx = nod(OIF, N, N);            // if cap(s) - len(s) < argc
+	na = nodintconst(argc);		// const argc
+	nx = nod(OIF, N, N);		// if cap(s) - len(s) < argc
 	nx->ntest = nod(OLT, nod(OSUB, nod(OCAP, ns, N), nod(OLEN, ns, N)), na);
 
-	fn = syslook("growslice", 1);   //   growslice(<type>, old []T, n int64) (ret []T)
-	argtype(fn, ns->type->type);    // 1 old []any 
-	argtype(fn, ns->type->type);    // 2 ret []any
+	fn = syslook("growslice", 1);	//   growslice(<type>, old []T, n int64) (ret []T)
+	argtype(fn, ns->type->type);	// 1 old []any
+	argtype(fn, ns->type->type);	// 2 ret []any
 
 	nx->nbody = list1(nod(OAS, ns, mkcall1(fn,  ns->type, &nx->ninit,
 					       typename(ns->type),
@@ -2155,16 +2159,16 @@ append(Node *n, NodeList **init)
 	l = list(l, nx);
 
 	nn = temp(types[TINT]);
-	l = list(l, nod(OAS, nn, nod(OLEN, ns, N)));     // n = len(s)
+	l = list(l, nod(OAS, nn, nod(OLEN, ns, N)));	 // n = len(s)
 
-	nx = nod(OSLICE, ns, nod(OKEY, N, nod(OADD, nn, na)));   // ...s[:n+argc]
-	nx->etype = 1;  // disable bounds check
-	l = list(l, nod(OAS, ns, nx));                  // s = s[:n+argc]
+	nx = nod(OSLICE, ns, nod(OKEY, N, nod(OADD, nn, na)));	 // ...s[:n+argc]
+	nx->etype = 1;	// disable bounds check
+	l = list(l, nod(OAS, ns, nx));			// s = s[:n+argc]
 
-	for (a = n->list->next;  a != nil; a = a->next) {
-		nx = nod(OINDEX, ns, nn);               // s[n] ...
-		nx->etype = 1;  // disable bounds check
-		l = list(l, nod(OAS, nx, a->n));        // s[n] = arg
+	for (a = n->list->next;	 a != nil; a = a->next) {
+		nx = nod(OINDEX, ns, nn);		// s[n] ...
+		nx->etype = 1;	// disable bounds check
+		l = list(l, nod(OAS, nx, a->n));	// s[n] = arg
 		if (a->next != nil)
 			l = list(l, nod(OAS, nn, nod(OADD, nn, nodintconst(1))));  // n = n + 1
 	}
diff --git a/src/pkg/runtime/slice.c b/src/pkg/runtime/slice.c
index 6e7af9d938..20edf24d94 100644
--- a/src/pkg/runtime/slice.c
+++ b/src/pkg/runtime/slice.c
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ static	int32	debug	= 0;
 
 static	void	makeslice1(SliceType*, int32, int32, Slice*);
 static	void	growslice1(SliceType*, Slice, int32, Slice *);
-static	void	appendslice1(SliceType*, Slice, Slice, Slice*);
 	void	runtime·slicecopy(Slice to, Slice fm, uintptr width, int32 ret);
 
 // see also unsafe·NewArray
@@ -29,13 +28,13 @@ runtime·makeslice(SliceType *t, int64 len, int64 cap, Slice ret)
 	if(debug) {
 		runtime·printf("makeslice(%S, %D, %D); ret=",
 			*t->string, len, cap);
- 		runtime·printslice(ret);
+		runtime·printslice(ret);
 	}
 }
 
 static void
 makeslice1(SliceType *t, int32 len, int32 cap, Slice *ret)
-{	
+{
 	uintptr size;
 
 	size = cap*t->elem->size;
@@ -52,12 +51,6 @@ makeslice1(SliceType *t, int32 len, int32 cap, Slice *ret)
 // appendslice(type *Type, x, y, []T) []T
 void
 runtime·appendslice(SliceType *t, Slice x, Slice y, Slice ret)
-{
-	appendslice1(t, x, y, &ret);
-}
-
-static void
-appendslice1(SliceType *t, Slice x, Slice y, Slice *ret)
 {
 	int32 m;
 	uintptr w;
@@ -68,15 +61,39 @@ appendslice1(SliceType *t, Slice x, Slice y, Slice *ret)
 		runtime·throw("append: slice overflow");
 
 	if(m > x.cap)
-		growslice1(t, x, m, ret);
+		growslice1(t, x, m, &ret);
 	else
-		*ret = x;
+		ret = x;
 
 	w = t->elem->size;
-	runtime·memmove(ret->array + ret->len*w, y.array, y.len*w);
-	ret->len += y.len;
+	runtime·memmove(ret.array + ret.len*w, y.array, y.len*w);
+	ret.len += y.len;
+	FLUSH(&ret);
 }
 
+
+// appendstr([]byte, string) []byte
+void
+runtime·appendstr(SliceType *t, Slice x, String y, Slice ret)
+{
+	int32 m;
+
+	m = x.len+y.len;
+
+	if(m < x.len)
+		runtime·throw("append: slice overflow");
+
+	if(m > x.cap)
+		growslice1(t, x, m, &ret);
+	else
+		ret = x;
+
+	runtime·memmove(ret.array + ret.len, y.str, y.len);
+	ret.len += y.len;
+	FLUSH(&ret);
+}
+
+
 // growslice(type *Type, x, []T, n int64) []T
 void
 runtime·growslice(SliceType *t, Slice old, int64 n, Slice ret)
@@ -97,9 +114,9 @@ runtime·growslice(SliceType *t, Slice old, int64 n, Slice ret)
 
 	if(debug) {
 		runtime·printf("growslice(%S,", *t->string);
- 		runtime·printslice(old);
+		runtime·printslice(old);
 		runtime·printf(", new cap=%D) =", cap);
- 		runtime·printslice(ret);
+		runtime·printslice(ret);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -308,11 +325,11 @@ runtime·slicestringcopy(Slice to, String fm, int32 ret)
 		ret = 0;
 		goto out;
 	}
-	
+
 	ret = fm.len;
 	if(to.len < ret)
 		ret = to.len;
-	
+
 	runtime·memmove(to.array, fm.str, ret);
 
 out:
diff --git a/test/append.go b/test/append.go
index 96421c36b8..e178f46990 100644
--- a/test/append.go
+++ b/test/append.go
@@ -63,6 +63,11 @@ var tests = []struct {
 	{"byte i", append([]byte{0, 1, 2}, []byte{3}...), []byte{0, 1, 2, 3}},
 	{"byte j", append([]byte{0, 1, 2}, []byte{3, 4, 5}...), []byte{0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5}},
 
+	{"bytestr a", append([]byte{}, "0"...), []byte("0")},
+	{"bytestr b", append([]byte{}, "0123"...), []byte("0123")},
+
+	{"bytestr c", append([]byte("012"), "3"...), []byte("0123")},
+	{"bytestr d", append([]byte("012"), "345"...), []byte("012345")},
 
 	{"int16 a", append([]int16{}), []int16{}},
 	{"int16 b", append([]int16{}, 0), []int16{0}},