diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index bc012abcfa..d0e38e3b91 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ The author of the Silk icon set is Mark James.
                             Spacing between pattern lines (mm, default: 2.5)
         --support-material-angle
                             Support material angle in degrees (range: 0-90, default: 0)
+        --raft-layers       Number of layers to raise the printed objects by (range: 0+, default: 0)
       
        Retraction options:
         --retract-length    Length of retraction in mm when pausing extrusion (default: 1)
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
index 7031dbd905..b8a046d832 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
@@ -578,6 +578,14 @@ our $Options = {
         type    => 'i',
         default => 0,
     },
+    'raft_layers' => {
+        label   => 'Raft layers',
+        tooltip => 'Number of total raft layers to insert below the object(s).',
+        sidetext => 'layers',
+        cli     => 'raft-layers=i',
+        type    => 'i',
+        default => 0,
+    },
     'start_gcode' => {
         label   => 'Start G-code',
         tooltip => 'This start procedure is inserted at the beginning of the output file, right after the temperature control commands for extruder and bed. If Slic3r detects M104 or M190 in your custom codes, such commands will not be prepended automatically. Note that you can use placeholder variables for all Slic3r settings, so you can put a "M104 S[first_layer_temperature]" command wherever you want.',
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
index a0ebc1a9af..f48c3782b2 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/Tab.pm
@@ -456,6 +456,10 @@ sub build {
             title => 'Support material',
             options => [qw(support_material support_material_threshold support_material_pattern support_material_spacing support_material_angle)],
         },
+        {
+            title => 'Raft',
+            options => [qw(raft_layers)],
+        },
     ]);
     
     $self->add_options_page('Notes', 'note.png', optgroups => [
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Layer.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Layer.pm
index d22188ab5d..e523df21c4 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Layer.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Layer.pm
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package Slic3r::Layer;
 use Moo;
 
 use List::Util qw(first);
+use Slic3r::Geometry qw(scale);
 use Slic3r::Geometry::Clipper qw(union_ex);
 
 has 'id'                => (is => 'rw', required => 1, trigger => 1); # sequential number of layer, 0-based
@@ -32,11 +33,16 @@ sub _trigger_id {
 sub _build_slice_z {
     my $self = shift;
     
-    if ($self->id == 0) {
-        return $Slic3r::Config->get_value('first_layer_height') / 2 / &Slic3r::SCALING_FACTOR;
+    if ($Slic3r::Config->raft_layers == 0) {
+        if ($self->id == 0) {
+            return scale $Slic3r::Config->get_value('first_layer_height') / 2;
+        }
+        return scale($Slic3r::Config->get_value('first_layer_height') + ($self->id-1 + 0.5) * $Slic3r::Config->layer_height);
+    } else {
+        return -1 if $self->id < $Slic3r::Config->raft_layers;
+        my $object_layer_id = $self->id - $Slic3r::Config->raft_layers;
+        return scale ($object_layer_id + 0.5) * $Slic3r::Config->layer_height;
     }
-    return ($Slic3r::Config->get_value('first_layer_height') + (($self->id-1) * $Slic3r::Config->layer_height) + ($Slic3r::Config->layer_height/2))
-        / &Slic3r::SCALING_FACTOR;  #/
 }
 
 # Z used for printing in scaled coordinates
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
index 5f06cf1dbe..38e0a78ade 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print.pm
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ sub init_extruders {
     }
     
     # calculate support material flow
-    if ($self->config->support_material) {
+    if ($self->config->support_material || $self->config->raft_layers > 0) {
         my $extruder = $self->extruders->[$self->config->support_material_extruder-1];
         $self->support_material_flow($extruder->make_flow(
             width => $self->config->support_material_extrusion_width || $self->config->extrusion_width,
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ sub export_gcode {
     }
     
     # generate support material
-    if ($Slic3r::Config->support_material) {
+    if ($Slic3r::Config->support_material || $Slic3r::Config->raft_layers > 0) {
         $status_cb->(85, "Generating support material");
         $_->generate_support_material for @{$self->objects};
     }
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ EOF
             }
         }
         # generate support material
-        if ($Slic3r::Config->support_material && $layer_id > 0) {
+        if (($Slic3r::Config->support_material || $self->config->raft_layers > 0) && $layer_id > 0) {
             my (@supported_slices, @unsupported_slices) = ();
             foreach my $expolygon (@current_layer_slices) {
                 my $intersection = intersection_ex(
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ sub write_gcode {
             
             # extrude support material before other things because it might use a lower Z
             # and also because we avoid travelling on other things when printing it
-            if ($Slic3r::Config->support_material) {
+            if ($Slic3r::Config->support_material || $self->config->raft_layers > 0) {
                 $gcode .= $gcodegen->move_z($layer->support_material_interface_z)
                     if ($layer->support_interface_fills && @{ $layer->support_interface_fills->paths });
                 $gcode .= $gcodegen->set_extruder($self->extruders->[$Slic3r::Config->support_material_extruder-1]);
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
index f5ea07a922..640010a367 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Print/Object.pm
@@ -173,9 +173,10 @@ sub slice {
     }
     
     # remove empty layers from bottom
-    while (@{$self->layers} && !@{$self->layers->[0]->slices} && !map @{$_->thin_walls}, @{$self->layers->[0]->regions}) {
-        shift @{$self->layers};
-        for (my $i = 0; $i <= $#{$self->layers}; $i++) {
+    my $first_object_layer_id = $Slic3r::Config->raft_layers;
+    while (@{$self->layers} && !@{$self->layers->[$first_object_layer_id]->slices} && !map @{$_->thin_walls}, @{$self->layers->[$first_object_layer_id]->regions}) {
+        splice @{$self->layers}, $first_object_layer_id, 1;
+        for (my $i = $first_object_layer_id; $i <= $#{$self->layers}; $i++) {
             $self->layers->[$i]->id($i);
         }
     }
@@ -591,6 +592,8 @@ sub generate_support_material {
         my @current_support_regions = ();   # expolygons we've started to support (i.e. below the empty interface layers)
         my @queue = ();                     # the number of items of this array determines the number of empty interface layers
         for my $i (reverse 0 .. $#{$self->layers}) {
+            next unless $Slic3r::Config->support_material || ($i <= $Slic3r::Config->raft_layers);  # <= because we need to start from the first non-raft layer
+            
             my $layer = $self->layers->[$i];
             my $lower_layer = $i > 0 ? $self->layers->[$i-1] : undef;
             
diff --git a/slic3r.pl b/slic3r.pl
index c66277c58a..a8a6386b0e 100755
--- a/slic3r.pl
+++ b/slic3r.pl
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ $j
                         Spacing between pattern lines (mm, default: $config->{support_material_spacing})
     --support-material-angle
                         Support material angle in degrees (range: 0-90, default: $config->{support_material_angle})
+    --raft-layers       Number of layers to raise the printed objects by (range: 0+, default: $config->{raft_layers})
   
    Retraction options:
     --retract-length    Length of retraction in mm when pausing extrusion (default: $config->{retract_length}[0])