diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso.1 b/xorriso/xorriso.1
index 7d9f25b7..979dd5e8 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso.1
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso.1
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 .\" First parameter, NAME, should be all caps
 .\" Second parameter, SECTION, should be 1-8, maybe w/ subsection
 .\" other parameters are allowed: see man(7), man(1)
-.TH XORRISO 1 "Sep 02, 2008"
+.TH XORRISO 1 "Sep 05, 2008"
 .\" Please adjust this date whenever revising the manpage.
 .\"
 .\" Some roff macros, for reference:
@@ -346,10 +346,19 @@ characters. Rock Ridge fulfills this demand.
 Commands are either actions or settings. They consist of a command word,
 followed by zero or more parameter words. If the list of parameter words
 is of variable length (indicated by "[...]" or "[***]") then it has to be
-terminated by either the word "--" or the end of argument list or an end of
-an input line.
-It is not an error if "--" appears after the parameters of a command
-with a fixed list length.
+terminated by either the list delimiter, or the end of argument list, or an
+end of an input line.
+.PP
+At program start the \fBlist delimiter\fR is the word "--". This may be changed
+by option -list_delimiter in order to allow "--" as argument in a list of
+variable length.  It is advised to reset the delimiter to "--" immediately
+afterwards.
+.br
+For brevity the list delimiter is referred as "--" throughout this text.
+.br
+The list delimiter is silently tolerated if it appears after the parameters of
+a command with a fixed list length. It is handled as normal text if it
+appears among the arguments of such a command.
 .PP
 .B Pattern expansion
 is a property of some particular commands and not a general
@@ -966,10 +975,6 @@ other file causes a FAILURE event.
 \fB\-rmdir\fR iso_rr_path [***]
 Delete empty directories.
 .TP
-\fB\-\-\fR
-.br
-Mark end of particular action argument list.
-.TP
 \fB\-rollback\fR
 Discard the manipulated ISO image and reload it from -indev.
 .TP
@@ -2090,6 +2095,11 @@ if its start matches the filter text. No wildcards.
 \fB\-status_history_max\fR number
 Set maximum number of history lines to be reported with -status "long_history".
 .TP
+\fB\-list_delimiter\fR word
+Set the list delimiter to be used instead of "--". It has to be a single word,
+must not be empty, not longer than 80 characters, and must not contain
+quotation marks.
+.TP
 \fB\-temp_mem_limit\fR number["k"|"m"]
 Set the maximum size of temporary memory to be used for image dependent
 buffering. Currently this applies to pattern expansion only.
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso.c b/xorriso/xorriso.c
index a9418051..5d5cf243 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso.c
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso.c
@@ -3322,6 +3322,7 @@ int Xorriso_new(struct XorrisO ** xorriso,char *progname, int flag)
  m->did_something_useful= 0;
  m->add_plainly= 0;
  m->split_size= 0;
+ strcpy(m->list_delimiter, "--");
  m->do_joliet= 0;
  m->do_follow_pattern= 1;
  m->do_follow_param= 0;
@@ -4759,6 +4760,7 @@ int Xorriso_check_media_list_job(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
                                  char *report, int flag)
 {
  int all, ret;
+ char default_report[161];
  struct CheckmediajoB *dflt= NULL;
 
  all= !(flag&1);
@@ -4825,9 +4827,11 @@ int Xorriso_check_media_list_job(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
    {ret= 0; goto ex;}
  ret= 1;
 ex:;
- strcat(report, " --");
+ strcat(report, xorriso->list_delimiter);
  Checkmediajob_destroy(&dflt, 0);
- if(ret > 0 && strcmp(report, "-check_media_defaults reset=now --") == 0)
+ sprintf(default_report, "-check_media_defaults reset=now %s",
+         xorriso->list_delimiter);
+ if(ret > 0 && strcmp(report, default_report) == 0)
    return(2);
  return(ret);
 }
@@ -4857,6 +4861,12 @@ int Xorriso_status(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *filter, FILE *fp, int flag)
    sprintf(line,"-no_rc\n");
    Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
  }
+
+ is_default= strcmp(xorriso->list_delimiter, "--") == 0;
+ sprintf(line,"-list_delimiter %s\n", xorriso->list_delimiter);
+ if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
+   Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
+
  is_default= 0;
  if(xorriso->dialog)
    sprintf(line,"-dialog on\n");
@@ -4900,7 +4910,8 @@ int Xorriso_status(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *filter, FILE *fp, int flag)
 
  if(xorriso->check_media_default == NULL) {
    is_default= 1;
-   sprintf(line, "-check_media_defaults --\n");
+   sprintf(line, "-check_media_defaults reset=now %s\n",
+           xorriso->list_delimiter);
  } else {
    ret= Xorriso_check_media_list_job(xorriso, xorriso->check_media_default,
                                      line, no_defaults);
@@ -5006,7 +5017,8 @@ int Xorriso_status(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *filter, FILE *fp, int flag)
  ret= Exclusions_get_descrs(xorriso->disk_exclusions, &paths, &leafs, 0);
  if(ret>0) {
    for(; paths!=NULL; paths= paths->next) {
-     sprintf(line,"-not_paths %s --\n", Text_shellsafe(paths->text, sfe, 0));
+     sprintf(line, "-not_paths %s %s\n",
+             Text_shellsafe(paths->text, sfe, 0), xorriso->list_delimiter);
      Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
    } 
    for(; leafs!=NULL; leafs= leafs->next) {
@@ -5018,10 +5030,10 @@ int Xorriso_status(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *filter, FILE *fp, int flag)
  is_default= (xorriso->file_size_limit ==
               Xorriso_default_file_size_limiT);
  if(xorriso->file_size_limit <= 0)
-   sprintf(line, "-file_size_limit off --\n");
+   sprintf(line, "-file_size_limit off %s\n", xorriso->list_delimiter);
  else
-   sprintf(line, "-file_size_limit %.f --\n",
-           (double) xorriso->file_size_limit);
+   sprintf(line, "-file_size_limit %.f %s\n",
+           (double) xorriso->file_size_limit, xorriso->list_delimiter);
  if(!(is_default && no_defaults))
    Xorriso_status_result(xorriso,filter,fp,flag&2);
 
@@ -6254,7 +6266,7 @@ int Xorriso_end_idx(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
  int i, warned= 0;
 
  for(i= idx; i<argc; i++) {
-   if(strcmp(argv[i], "--")==0)
+   if(strcmp(argv[i], xorriso->list_delimiter)==0)
  break;
    if(!((flag&1) || warned))
      warned= Xorriso_warn_of_wildcards(xorriso, argv[i], flag&2);
@@ -6271,8 +6283,8 @@ int Xorriso_end_idx(struct XorrisO *xorriso,
    same value as with the call which might have allocated memory.
    @param xorriso The environment object
    @param argc Length of argv
-   @param argv The vector with arguments, eventual "--" and then eventual
-               unrelated words
+   @param argv The vector with arguments, eventual list_delimiter ("--")
+               and then eventual unrelated words
    @param idx  Start index in argv of the argument list
    @param optc Length of the effective possibly expanded option vector
    @param optv The option vector. Maybe a pointer into argv or maybe
@@ -9595,11 +9607,12 @@ int Xorriso_option_as(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
  if(end_idx<=0 || (*idx)>=argc) {
    if(idx_count<1)
      sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
-             "-as : Not enough arguments given. Needed: whom do_what --");
+             "-as : Not enough arguments given. Needed: whom do_what %s",
+             xorriso->list_delimiter);
    else
      sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
-             "-as %s : Not enough arguments given. Needed: do_what --",
-             argv[*idx]);
+             "-as %s : Not enough arguments given. Needed: do_what %s",
+             argv[*idx], xorriso->list_delimiter);
    Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
    ret= 0; goto ex;
  }
@@ -11417,14 +11430,21 @@ int Xorriso_option_help(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 "  -tell_media_space",
 "                 Print foreseeable available space on output media",
 "",
+"Options with variable length path list [...] need the list delimiter text",
+"as end mark if they are followed by another option. By default this delimiter",
+"is \"--\". In dialog and with options read from files, the line end serves",
+"as such a mark. With program arguments this mark can be omitted only with",
+"the last option in the list of arguments.",
+"For brevity the list delimiter is referred as \"--\" throughout this text.",
+"",
+"  -list_delimiter text   Set the list delimiter to be used instead of \"--\"",
+"                 It has to be a single word, must not be empty, not longer",
+"                 than 80 characters, may mot contain quotation marks.",
+"",
 "Manipulation options:",
 "disk_path is a path to an object in the local filesystem tree.",
 "iso_rr_path is the Rock Ridge name of a file object in the ISO image.",
 "pathspec is either a disk_path or (if allowed) a pair: iso_rr_path=disk_path",
-"Options with variable length path list [...] need \"--\" as end mark",
-"if they are followed by another option. In dialog and with options read from",
-"files, the line end serves as such a mark. With program arguments this mark",
-"can be omitted only with the last option in the list of arguments.",
 "Options marked by [***] have variable argument length and perform pattern",
 "expansion if enabled by -iso_rr_pattern resp. -disk_pattern.",
 "",
@@ -11501,7 +11521,8 @@ int Xorriso_option_help(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 "                 Create empty directories if they do not exist yet.",
 "  -rmdir iso_rr_path [***]",
 "                 Delete empty directories.",
-"  --             Mark end of particular action argument list.",
+"  --             Default list delimiter marking the end of action argument",
+"                 list. It may be changed by option -list_delimiter.",
 "",
 "  -not_paths disk_path [***]",
 "                 Add the given paths to the list of excluded absolute paths.",
@@ -11647,7 +11668,7 @@ int Xorriso_option_help(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 "  -check_media_defaults [options] --",
 "                 Preset options for runs of -check_media and -extract_cut.",
 "",
-"Compatibility emulation (argument list may be ended by --):",
+"Compatibility emulation (argument list may be ended by list delimiter --):",
 "  -as mkisofs  [-help|-version|-o|-R|-J|-V|-P|-f|-m|-exclude-list|-no-pad|",
 "                -M|-C|-graft-points|-path-list|pathspecs]",
 "              Perform some mkisofs gestures, understand pathspecs as mkisofs",
@@ -11815,6 +11836,47 @@ int Xorriso_option_joliet(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *mode, int flag)
 }
 
 
+/* Option -list_delimiter */
+int Xorriso_option_list_delimiter(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *text,
+                                  int flag)
+{
+ int ret, argc;
+ char **argv= NULL;
+
+ if(text[0] == 0) {
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
+           "-list_delimiter: New delimiter text is empty");
+   Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
+   return(0);
+ }
+ if(strlen(text) > 80) {
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
+           "-list_delimiter: New delimiter text is too long");
+   Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
+   return(0);
+ }
+ ret= Sfile_make_argv(xorriso->progname, text, &argc, &argv, 4);
+ if(ret > 0) {
+   if(argc > 2) {
+     sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
+            "-list_delimiter: New delimiter text contains more than one word");
+     Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
+   }
+   Sfile_make_argv(xorriso->progname, text, &argc, &argv, 2);
+   if(argc > 2)
+     return(0);
+ }
+ if(strchr(text, '"') != NULL || strchr(text, '\'') != NULL) {
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text,
+           "-list_delimiter: New delimiter text contains quotation marks");
+   Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
+   return(0);
+ }
+ strcpy(xorriso->list_delimiter, text);
+ return(1);
+}
+
+
 /* Option -list_formats */
 int Xorriso_option_list_formats(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag)
 {
@@ -12537,8 +12599,9 @@ no_memory:;
  ret= Exclusions_add_not_paths(xorriso->disk_exclusions,
                                num_descr, descr, optc, optv, 0);
  if(ret<=0) {
-   sprintf(xorriso->info_text,"Cannot add path list: -not_paths %s%s --",
-           Text_shellsafe(argv[*idx], sfe, 0), (num_descr>1 ? " ..." : ""));
+   sprintf(xorriso->info_text,"Cannot add path list: -not_paths %s%s %s",
+           Text_shellsafe(argv[*idx], sfe, 0), (num_descr>1 ? " ..." : ""),
+           xorriso->list_delimiter);
    Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
  }
 ex:;
@@ -13647,7 +13710,7 @@ int Xorriso_normalize_command(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *original_cmd,
  }
  strcpy(cmd_data, original_cmd);
  *cmd= cmd_data;
- if(strcmp(*cmd, "--")==0)
+ if(strcmp(*cmd, xorriso->list_delimiter)==0)
    return(1);
  while((*cmd)[0]=='-') {
    if((*cmd)[1]==0)
@@ -13674,14 +13737,14 @@ int Xorriso_count_args(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
  static char arg0_commands[][40]= {
     "ban_stdio_write","commit","commit_eject","devices","end","help",
     "list_formats","no_rc","print_size","pwd","pwdi","pwdx",
-    "rollback","rollback_end","tell_media_space","toc","version","--",
+    "rollback","rollback_end","tell_media_space","toc","version",
     ""
  };
  static char arg1_commands[][40]= {
     "abort_on","add_plainly","blank","cd","cdi","cdx","close","dev",
     "dummy","dialog","disk_pattern","eject","iso_rr_pattern","follow",
     "format","fs","gid","grow_blindly",
-    "history","indev","joliet","mark","not_leaf",
+    "history","indev","joliet","list_delimiter","mark","not_leaf",
     "not_list","not_mgt","options_from_file","osirrox","outdev","overwrite",
     "padding","path_list","pathspecs","pkt_output","print","prompt",
     "prog","publisher","reassure","report_about","rom_toc_scan",
@@ -13722,8 +13785,8 @@ int Xorriso_count_args(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
  if(ret<0)
    return(ret);
  was_dashed= (ret>0);
- if(cmd[0]=='#' || cmd[0]==0) {
-   /* ignore comment line and empty option */;
+ if(cmd[0]=='#' || cmd[0]==0 || strcmp(cmd, xorriso->list_delimiter) == 0) {
+   /* ignore: comment line , empty option , orphaned list delimiter */
    return(1);
  }
  for(i=0; arg0_commands[i][0]!=0; i++)
@@ -14060,6 +14123,10 @@ next_command:;
    (*idx)++;
    ret= Xorriso_option_joliet(xorriso, arg1, 0);
 
+ } else if(strcmp(cmd, "list_delimiter") == 0) {
+   (*idx)++;
+   ret= Xorriso_option_list_delimiter(xorriso, arg1, 0);
+
  } else if(strcmp(cmd,"list_formats")==0) {
    ret= Xorriso_option_list_formats(xorriso, 0);
 
@@ -14318,7 +14385,7 @@ next_command:;
    (*idx)++;
    ret= Xorriso_option_volid(xorriso,arg1,0);
 
- } else if(strcmp(cmd,"--")==0){
+ } else if(strcmp(cmd, xorriso->list_delimiter)==0){
    /* tis ok */;
 
  } else if(was_dashed) {
@@ -14481,7 +14548,9 @@ int Xorriso_prescan_args(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
  int i, ret, was_dashed, num2, arg_count;
  int was_report_about= 0, was_abort_on= 0, was_return_with= 0;
  char *cmd, *original_cmd, cmd_data[5*SfileadrL], *arg1, *arg2;
+ char mem_list_delimiter[81];
 
+ strcpy(mem_list_delimiter, xorriso->list_delimiter);
  for(i=1+(flag&1);i<argc;i++) {
    original_cmd= cmd= argv[i];
    was_dashed= 0;
@@ -14489,7 +14558,7 @@ int Xorriso_prescan_args(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
    was_dashed= Xorriso_normalize_command(xorriso, original_cmd, i,
                                          cmd_data, sizeof(cmd_data), &cmd, 0);
    if(was_dashed<0)
-     return(-1);
+     {ret= -1; goto ex;}
 
    arg1= "";
    if(i+1<argc)
@@ -14504,16 +14573,16 @@ int Xorriso_prescan_args(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int argc, char **argv,
        i++;
        Xorriso_option_prog_help(xorriso,arg1,0);
        xorriso->did_something_useful= 1;
-       return(0);
+       {ret= 0; goto ex;}
      } else if(strcmp(cmd,"help")==0) {
        Xorriso_option_help(xorriso,0);
        xorriso->did_something_useful= 1;
-       return(0);
+       {ret= 0; goto ex;}
      }
    } else if(i==1 && strcmp(cmd,"no_rc")==0) {
      ret= Xorriso_option_no_rc(xorriso, 0);
      if(ret<=0)
-       return(ret);
+       goto ex;
 
    } else if((strcmp(cmd,"dev")==0 || strcmp(cmd,"outdev")==0 ||
                                       strcmp(cmd,"indev")==0) &&
@@ -14559,13 +14628,22 @@ protect_stdout:;
         strcmp(arg1, "genisofs")==0 || strcmp(arg1, "xorrisofs")==0)
        goto protect_stdout;
 
+   } else if(strcmp(cmd, "list_delimiter") == 0) {
+     i++;
+     ret= Xorriso_option_list_delimiter(xorriso, arg1, 0);
+     if(ret <= 0)
+       goto ex;
+
    } else {
      ret= Xorriso_count_args(xorriso, argc-i, argv+i, &arg_count, 1);
      if(ret==1)
        i+= arg_count;
    }
  }
- return(1);
+ ret= 1;
+ex:;
+ strcpy(xorriso->list_delimiter, mem_list_delimiter);
+ return(ret);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso.h b/xorriso/xorriso.h
index 5467607a..5f9663f2 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso.h
@@ -451,6 +451,10 @@ int Xorriso_option_iso_rr_pattern(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *mode,
 /* Option -joliet "on"|"off" */
 int Xorriso_option_joliet(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *mode, int flag);
 
+/* Option -list_delimiter */
+int Xorriso_option_list_delimiter(struct XorrisO *xorriso, char *text,
+                                  int flag);
+
 /* Option -list_formats */
 int Xorriso_option_list_formats(struct XorrisO *xorriso, int flag);
 
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso_private.h b/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
index a7969597..85a4c57d 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso_private.h
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ struct XorrisO { /* the global context of xorriso */
  int add_plainly;
  off_t split_size;
 
+ char list_delimiter[81];
+
  /* >>> put libisofs aspects here <<< */
 
  int do_joliet;
diff --git a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
index 94b024ce..d60a2df7 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
+++ b/xorriso/xorriso_timestamp.h
@@ -1 +1 @@
-#define Xorriso_timestamP "2008.09.04.100158"
+#define Xorriso_timestamP "2008.09.05.095344"
diff --git a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
index 1efdce02..bf341db6 100644
--- a/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
+++ b/xorriso/xorrisoburn.c
@@ -6699,7 +6699,7 @@ int Xorriso_burn_track(struct XorrisO *xorriso, off_t write_start_address,
           "Closed media with data detected. Need blank or appendable media.");
      Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "FAILURE", 0);
      if(burn_disc_erasable(drive)) {
-       sprintf(xorriso->info_text, "Try --blank_fast\n");
+       sprintf(xorriso->info_text, "Try -blank as_needed\n");
        Xorriso_msgs_submit(xorriso, 0, xorriso->info_text, 0, "HINT", 0);
      }
    } else if(disc_state == BURN_DISC_EMPTY) {