diff --git a/jam/jam.c b/jam/jam.c
index 2bbf1ae228..4dfb4c4a9f 100644
--- a/jam/jam.c
+++ b/jam/jam.c
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ struct globs globs = {
 # else
 	{ 0, 1 }, 		/* display actions  */
 # endif
+	0,			/* output compilation db here */
 	0			/* output commands, not run them */
 } ;
 
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ main( int argc, char **argv, char **arg_environ )
 
 	argc--, argv++;
 
-	if( ( n = getoptions( argc, argv, "d:j:f:gs:t:ano:qv", optv ) ) < 0 )
+	if( ( n = getoptions( argc, argv, "d:j:f:gs:t:ano:cqv", optv ) ) < 0 )
 	{
 	    printf( "\nusage: jam [ options ] targets...\n\n" );
 
@@ -197,6 +198,7 @@ main( int argc, char **argv, char **arg_environ )
             printf( "-jx     Run up to x shell commands concurrently.\n" );
             printf( "-n      Don't actually execute the updating actions.\n" );
             printf( "-ox     Write the updating actions to file x.\n" );
+            printf( "-c      Output JSON compilation database to compile_commands.json.\n" );
             printf( "-q      Quit quickly as soon as a target fails.\n" );
 	    printf( "-sx=y   Set variable x=y, overriding environment.\n" );
             printf( "-tx     Rebuild x, even if it is up-to-date.\n" );
@@ -279,6 +281,17 @@ main( int argc, char **argv, char **arg_environ )
 	    }
 	}
 
+	/* If we're asked to produce a compilation database, open the file. */
+	if ( ( s = getoptval( optv, 'c', 0 ) ) )
+	{
+	    if ( !( globs.comp_db = fopen( "compile_commands.json", "w" ) ) )
+	    {
+		printf( "Failed to write to 'compile_commands.json'\n");
+		exit( EXITBAD );
+	    }
+	    fprintf(globs.comp_db, "[\n");
+	}
+
 	/* Set JAMDATE first */
 
 	{
@@ -439,5 +452,12 @@ main( int argc, char **argv, char **arg_environ )
 	if( globs.cmdout )
 	    fclose( globs.cmdout );
 
+	/* close compilation database output file */
+	if ( globs.comp_db )
+	{
+		fprintf(globs.comp_db, "]\n");
+		fclose( globs.comp_db );
+	}
+
 	return status ? EXITBAD : EXITOK;
 }
diff --git a/jam/jam.h b/jam/jam.h
index da3db48e94..6e509d581c 100644
--- a/jam/jam.h
+++ b/jam/jam.h
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ struct globs {
 	int	quitquick;
 	int	newestfirst;		/* build newest sources first */
 	char	debug[DEBUG_MAX];
+	FILE	*comp_db;			/* output compilation db here */
 	FILE	*cmdout;		/* print cmds, not run them */
 } ;
 
diff --git a/jam/make1.c b/jam/make1.c
index ffb7831613..906b41a393 100644
--- a/jam/make1.c
+++ b/jam/make1.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@
 # include "command.h"
 # include "execcmd.h"
 
+#include <unistd.h>
+
 static void make1a( TARGET *t, TARGET *parent );
 static void make1b( TARGET *t );
 static void make1c( TARGET *t );
@@ -73,6 +75,12 @@ static LIST *make1list( LIST *l, TARGETS *targets, int flags,
 static SETTINGS *make1settings( LIST *vars );
 static void make1bind( TARGET *t, int warn );
 
+void out_compile_database(
+     char const * const action,
+     char const * const source,
+     char const * const command
+ );
+
 /* Ugly static - it's too hard to carry it through the callbacks. */
 
 static struct {
@@ -295,6 +303,17 @@ make1c( TARGET *t )
 	    if( globs.cmdout )
 		fprintf( globs.cmdout, "%s", cmd->buf );
 
+	    if ( globs.comp_db != NULL )
+	    {
+		const char* rule_name = cmd->rule->name;
+		const char* target_name = lol_get( (LOL *)&cmd->args, 0 )->string;
+		const char* source_name = NULL;
+		LIST* sources = lol_get( (LOL *)&cmd->args, 1);
+		if (sources != NULL)
+		    source_name = lol_get((LOL *)&cmd->args, 1 )->string;
+		out_compile_database( rule_name, source_name, cmd->buf );
+	    }
+
 	    if( globs.noexec )
 	    {
 		make1d( t, EXEC_CMD_OK );
@@ -671,3 +690,73 @@ make1bind(
 	t->binding = t->time ? T_BIND_EXISTS : T_BIND_MISSING;
 	popsettings( t->settings );
 }
+
+
+static void out_json(char const* str, FILE* f)
+{
+     char const* escape_src = "\"\\\b\n\r\t";
+     char const* escape_subst[] = {
+         "\\\"", "\\\\", "\\b", "\\n", "\\r", "\\t"
+     };
+     char buffer[1024];
+     int i = 0;
+
+     /* trim leading whitespace */
+     while (*str != 0 && strchr(" \t\n\r\t", *str) != NULL)
+        ++str;
+
+     for (; *str != 0; ++str)
+     {
+         char const* ch;
+         char const* subst;
+         if (i >= sizeof(buffer) - 10)
+         {
+             buffer[i] = 0;
+             fputs(buffer, f);
+             i = 0;
+         }
+
+         /* skip non-printable characters */
+         if ((unsigned)*str < ' ') continue;
+
+         ch = strchr(escape_src, *str);
+         if (ch == NULL)
+         {
+             buffer[i++] = *str;
+             continue;
+         }
+         subst = escape_subst[ch - escape_src];
+         strcpy(&buffer[i], subst);
+         i += strlen(subst);
+     }
+
+     buffer[i] = 0;
+     fputs(buffer, f);
+}
+
+
+void out_compile_database
+(
+     char const * const action,
+     char const * const source,
+     char const * const command
+)
+{
+     /* file format defined here:
+      * http://clang.llvm.org/docs/JSONCompilationDatabase.html
+      * we're not interested in link, mkdir, rm or any non-compile action
+      */
+     if (source
+        && (strstr(action, "Cc") != NULL || strstr(action, "C++") != NULL))
+     {
+         char buffer[PATH_MAX];
+         fputs("{ \"directory\": \"", globs.comp_db);
+         out_json(getcwd(buffer, sizeof(buffer)), globs.comp_db);
+         fputs("\", \"command\": \"", globs.comp_db);
+         out_json(command, globs.comp_db);
+         fputs("\", \"file\": \"", globs.comp_db);
+         out_json(source, globs.comp_db);
+         fputs("\" },\n", globs.comp_db);
+     }
+
+}