diff --git a/lib/Slic3r.pm b/lib/Slic3r.pm
index 256085e8e..380da3d94 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r.pm
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ our $retract_length         = 1;    # mm
 our $retract_restart_extra  = 0;    # mm
 our $retract_speed          = 40;   # mm/sec
 our $retract_before_travel  = 2;    # mm
+our $retract_lift           = 0;    # mm
 
 # skirt options
 our $skirts             = 1;
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
index 8db8a2dd4..aa640bdc0 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Config.pm
@@ -116,6 +116,10 @@ our $Options = {
         label   => 'Minimum travel after retraction (mm)',
         type    => 'f',
     },
+    'retract_lift' => {
+        label   => 'Lift Z (mm)',
+        type    => 'f',
+    },
     
     # skirt options
     'skirts' => {
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
index 42fe15a63..704a3d5a2 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/Extruder.pm
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ has 'flow_ratio'         => (is => 'rw', default => sub {1});
 
 has 'extrusion_distance' => (is => 'rw', default => sub {0} );
 has 'retracted'          => (is => 'rw', default => sub {1} );  # this spits out some plastic at start
+has 'lifted'             => (is => 'rw', default => sub {0} );
 has 'last_pos'           => (is => 'rw', default => sub { [0,0] } );
 has 'last_f'             => (is => 'rw', default => sub {0});
 has 'dec'                => (is => 'ro', default => sub { 3 } );
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ sub move_z {
     
     my $gcode = "";
     
-    $gcode .= $self->retract;
+    $gcode .= $self->retract(dont_lift => 1);
     $gcode .= $self->G1(undef, $z, 0, 'move to next layer');
     
     return $gcode;
@@ -119,12 +120,19 @@ sub extrude {
 
 sub retract {
     my $self = shift;
+    my %params = @_;
+    
     return "" unless $Slic3r::retract_length > 0 
         && !$self->retracted;
     
     $self->retracted(1);
     my $gcode = $self->G1(undef, undef, -$Slic3r::retract_length, "retract");
     
+    unless ($params{dont_lift} || $Slic3r::retract_lift == 0) {
+        $gcode .= $self->G1(undef, $self->z + $Slic3r::retract_lift, 0, 'lift plate during retraction');
+        $self->lifted(1);
+    }
+    
     # reset extrusion distance during retracts
     # this makes sure we leave sufficient precision in the firmware
     if (!$Slic3r::use_relative_e_distances) {
@@ -138,8 +146,17 @@ sub retract {
 sub unretract {
     my $self = shift;
     $self->retracted(0);
-    return $self->G1(undef, undef, ($Slic3r::retract_length + $Slic3r::retract_restart_extra), 
+    my $gcode = "";
+    
+    if ($self->lifted) {
+        $gcode .= $self->G1(undef, $self->z - $Slic3r::retract_lift, 0, 'restore layer Z');
+        $self->lifted(0);
+    }
+    
+    $gcode .= $self->G1(undef, undef, ($Slic3r::retract_length + $Slic3r::retract_restart_extra), 
         "compensate retraction");
+    
+    return $gcode;
 }
 
 sub G1 {
diff --git a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
index f45382985..ab338498d 100644
--- a/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
+++ b/lib/Slic3r/GUI/SkeinPanel.pm
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ sub new {
         ),
         retract => Slic3r::GUI::OptionsGroup->new($self,
             title => 'Retraction',
-            options => [qw(retract_length retract_speed retract_restart_extra retract_before_travel)],
+            options => [qw(retract_length retract_lift retract_speed retract_restart_extra retract_before_travel)],
         ),
         skirt => Slic3r::GUI::OptionsGroup->new($self,
             title => 'Skirt',
diff --git a/slic3r.pl b/slic3r.pl
index bd245f714..a711d6f1b 100755
--- a/slic3r.pl
+++ b/slic3r.pl
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ GetOptions(
     'retract-speed=i'           => \$Slic3r::retract_speed,
     'retract-restart-extra=f'   => \$Slic3r::retract_restart_extra,
     'retract-before-travel=f'   => \$Slic3r::retract_before_travel,
+    'retract-lift=f'            => \$Slic3r::retract_lift,
     
     # skirt options
     'skirts=i'              => \$Slic3r::skirts,
@@ -175,6 +176,7 @@ Usage: slic3r.pl [ OPTIONS ] file.stl
                         compensating retraction (default: $Slic3r::retract_restart_extra)
     --retract-before-travel
                         Only retract before travel moves of this length (default: $Slic3r::retract_before_travel)
+    --retract-lift      Lift Z by the given distance in mm when retracting (default: $Slic3r::retract_lift)
    
    Skirt options:
     --skirts            Number of skirts to draw (default: $Slic3r::skirts)