diff --git a/src/librustdoc/html/markdown.rs b/src/librustdoc/html/markdown.rs
index bea13397eca..5a56c33b806 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/html/markdown.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/html/markdown.rs
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ pub fn old_find_testable_code(doc: &str, tests: &mut ::test::Collector, position
                                block_info.should_panic, block_info.no_run,
                                block_info.ignore, block_info.test_harness,
                                block_info.compile_fail, block_info.error_codes,
-                               line, filename);
+                               line, filename, block_info.allow_fail);
             } else {
                 tests.add_old_test(text, filename);
             }
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ pub fn find_testable_code(doc: &str, tests: &mut ::test::Collector, position: Sp
                                block_info.should_panic, block_info.no_run,
                                block_info.ignore, block_info.test_harness,
                                block_info.compile_fail, block_info.error_codes,
-                               line, filename);
+                               line, filename, block_info.allow_fail);
                 prev_offset = offset;
             }
             Event::Start(Tag::Header(level)) => {
@@ -889,6 +889,7 @@ struct LangString {
     test_harness: bool,
     compile_fail: bool,
     error_codes: Vec<String>,
+    allow_fail: bool,
 }
 
 impl LangString {
@@ -902,6 +903,7 @@ impl LangString {
             test_harness: false,
             compile_fail: false,
             error_codes: Vec::new(),
+            allow_fail: false,
         }
     }
 
@@ -930,6 +932,7 @@ impl LangString {
                 }
                 "no_run" => { data.no_run = true; seen_rust_tags = !seen_other_tags; }
                 "ignore" => { data.ignore = true; seen_rust_tags = !seen_other_tags; }
+                "allow_fail" => { data.allow_fail = true; seen_rust_tags = !seen_other_tags; }
                 "rust" => { data.rust = true; seen_rust_tags = true; }
                 "test_harness" => {
                     data.test_harness = true;
@@ -1118,7 +1121,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_lang_string_parse() {
         fn t(s: &str,
             should_panic: bool, no_run: bool, ignore: bool, rust: bool, test_harness: bool,
-            compile_fail: bool, error_codes: Vec<String>) {
+            compile_fail: bool, allow_fail: bool, error_codes: Vec<String>) {
             assert_eq!(LangString::parse(s), LangString {
                 should_panic: should_panic,
                 no_run: no_run,
@@ -1128,25 +1131,27 @@ mod tests {
                 compile_fail: compile_fail,
                 error_codes: error_codes,
                 original: s.to_owned(),
+                allow_fail: allow_fail,
             })
         }
 
         // marker                | should_panic| no_run| ignore| rust | test_harness| compile_fail
-        //                       | error_codes
-        t("",                      false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("rust",                  false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("sh",                    false,        false,  false,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("ignore",                false,        false,  true,   true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("should_panic",          true,         false,  false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("no_run",                false,        true,   false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("test_harness",          false,        false,  false,  true,  true,  false, Vec::new());
-        t("compile_fail",          false,        true,   false,  true,  false, true,  Vec::new());
-        t("{.no_run .example}",    false,        true,   false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("{.sh .should_panic}",   true,         false,  false,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("{.example .rust}",      false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("{.test_harness .rust}", false,        false,  false,  true,  true,  false, Vec::new());
-        t("text, no_run",          false,        true,   false,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
-        t("text,no_run",           false,        true,   false,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        //                       | allow_fail | error_codes
+        t("",                      false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("rust",                  false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("sh",                    false,        false,  false,  false, false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("ignore",                false,        false,  true,   true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("should_panic",          true,         false,  false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("no_run",                false,        true,   false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("test_harness",          false,        false,  false,  true,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("compile_fail",          false,        true,   false,  true,  false, true,  false, Vec::new());
+        t("allow_fail",            false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, true, Vec::new());
+        t("{.no_run .example}",    false,        true,   false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("{.sh .should_panic}",   true,         false,  false,  false, false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("{.example .rust}",      false,        false,  false,  true,  false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("{.test_harness .rust}", false,        false,  false,  true,  true,  false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("text, no_run",          false,        true,   false,  false, false, false, false, Vec::new());
+        t("text,no_run",           false,        true,   false,  false, false, false, false, Vec::new());
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/test.rs b/src/librustdoc/test.rs
index cfe2fad0fa4..4766778eed1 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/test.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/test.rs
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ impl Collector {
     pub fn add_test(&mut self, test: String,
                     should_panic: bool, no_run: bool, should_ignore: bool,
                     as_test_harness: bool, compile_fail: bool, error_codes: Vec<String>,
-                    line: usize, filename: String) {
+                    line: usize, filename: String, allow_fail: bool) {
         let name = self.generate_name(line, &filename);
         // to be removed when hoedown is removed
         if self.render_type == RenderType::Pulldown {
@@ -499,6 +499,7 @@ impl Collector {
                 ignore: should_ignore,
                 // compiler failures are test failures
                 should_panic: testing::ShouldPanic::No,
+                allow_fail: allow_fail,
             },
             testfn: testing::DynTestFn(box move |()| {
                 let panic = io::set_panic(None);
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs b/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
index d7d3a70f3c7..07db5b83331 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
@@ -534,6 +534,7 @@ pub const BUILTIN_ATTRIBUTES: &'static [(&'static str, AttributeType, AttributeG
     ("derive", Normal, Ungated),
     ("should_panic", Normal, Ungated),
     ("ignore", Normal, Ungated),
+    ("allow_fail", Normal, Ungated),
     ("no_implicit_prelude", Normal, Ungated),
     ("reexport_test_harness_main", Normal, Ungated),
     ("link_args", Normal, Ungated),
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/test.rs b/src/libsyntax/test.rs
index a0d1785c6ff..86f5f42eac7 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/test.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/test.rs
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ struct Test {
     path: Vec<Ident> ,
     bench: bool,
     ignore: bool,
-    should_panic: ShouldPanic
+    should_panic: ShouldPanic,
+    allow_fail: bool,
 }
 
 struct TestCtxt<'a> {
@@ -133,7 +134,8 @@ impl<'a> fold::Folder for TestHarnessGenerator<'a> {
                         path: self.cx.path.clone(),
                         bench: is_bench_fn(&self.cx, &i),
                         ignore: is_ignored(&i),
-                        should_panic: should_panic(&i, &self.cx)
+                        should_panic: should_panic(&i, &self.cx),
+                        allow_fail: is_allowed_fail(&i),
                     };
                     self.cx.testfns.push(test);
                     self.tests.push(i.ident);
@@ -383,6 +385,10 @@ fn is_ignored(i: &ast::Item) -> bool {
     i.attrs.iter().any(|attr| attr.check_name("ignore"))
 }
 
+fn is_allowed_fail(i: &ast::Item) -> bool {
+    i.attrs.iter().any(|attr| attr.check_name("allow_fail"))
+}
+
 fn should_panic(i: &ast::Item, cx: &TestCtxt) -> ShouldPanic {
     match i.attrs.iter().find(|attr| attr.check_name("should_panic")) {
         Some(attr) => {
@@ -668,6 +674,7 @@ fn mk_test_desc_and_fn_rec(cx: &TestCtxt, test: &Test) -> P<ast::Expr> {
             }
         }
     };
+    let allow_fail_expr = ecx.expr_bool(span, test.allow_fail);
 
     // self::test::TestDesc { ... }
     let desc_expr = ecx.expr_struct(
@@ -675,7 +682,8 @@ fn mk_test_desc_and_fn_rec(cx: &TestCtxt, test: &Test) -> P<ast::Expr> {
         test_path("TestDesc"),
         vec![field("name", name_expr),
              field("ignore", ignore_expr),
-             field("should_panic", fail_expr)]);
+             field("should_panic", fail_expr),
+             field("allow_fail", allow_fail_expr)]);
 
 
     let mut visible_path = match cx.toplevel_reexport {
diff --git a/src/libtest/lib.rs b/src/libtest/lib.rs
index 2094fd8898d..c68039f21ec 100644
--- a/src/libtest/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libtest/lib.rs
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ pub struct TestDesc {
     pub name: TestName,
     pub ignore: bool,
     pub should_panic: ShouldPanic,
+    pub allow_fail: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
@@ -523,6 +524,7 @@ pub enum TestResult {
     TrFailed,
     TrFailedMsg(String),
     TrIgnored,
+    TrAllowedFail,
     TrMetrics(MetricMap),
     TrBench(BenchSamples),
 }
@@ -543,6 +545,7 @@ struct ConsoleTestState<T> {
     passed: usize,
     failed: usize,
     ignored: usize,
+    allowed_fail: usize,
     filtered_out: usize,
     measured: usize,
     metrics: MetricMap,
@@ -572,6 +575,7 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
             passed: 0,
             failed: 0,
             ignored: 0,
+            allowed_fail: 0,
             filtered_out: 0,
             measured: 0,
             metrics: MetricMap::new(),
@@ -594,6 +598,10 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
         self.write_short_result("ignored", "i", term::color::YELLOW)
     }
 
+    pub fn write_allowed_fail(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
+        self.write_short_result("FAILED (allowed)", "a", term::color::YELLOW)
+    }
+
     pub fn write_metric(&mut self) -> io::Result<()> {
         self.write_pretty("metric", term::color::CYAN)
     }
@@ -669,6 +677,7 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
             TrOk => self.write_ok(),
             TrFailed | TrFailedMsg(_) => self.write_failed(),
             TrIgnored => self.write_ignored(),
+            TrAllowedFail => self.write_allowed_fail(),
             TrMetrics(ref mm) => {
                 self.write_metric()?;
                 self.write_plain(&format!(": {}\n", mm.fmt_metrics()))
@@ -702,6 +711,7 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
                         TrFailed => "failed".to_owned(),
                         TrFailedMsg(ref msg) => format!("failed: {}", msg),
                         TrIgnored => "ignored".to_owned(),
+                        TrAllowedFail => "failed (allowed)".to_owned(),
                         TrMetrics(ref mm) => mm.fmt_metrics(),
                         TrBench(ref bs) => fmt_bench_samples(bs),
                     },
@@ -761,7 +771,7 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
     }
 
     pub fn write_run_finish(&mut self) -> io::Result<bool> {
-        assert!(self.passed + self.failed + self.ignored + self.measured == self.total);
+        assert!(self.passed + self.failed + self.ignored + self.measured + self.allowed_fail == self.total);
 
         if self.options.display_output {
             self.write_outputs()?;
@@ -778,9 +788,10 @@ impl<T: Write> ConsoleTestState<T> {
         } else {
             self.write_pretty("FAILED", term::color::RED)?;
         }
-        let s = format!(". {} passed; {} failed; {} ignored; {} measured; {} filtered out\n\n",
+        let s = format!(". {} passed; {} failed; {} allowed to fail; {} ignored; {} measured; {} filtered out\n\n",
                         self.passed,
                         self.failed,
+                        self.allowed_fail,
                         self.ignored,
                         self.measured,
                         self.filtered_out);
@@ -891,6 +902,7 @@ pub fn run_tests_console(opts: &TestOpts, tests: Vec<TestDescAndFn>) -> io::Resu
                         st.not_failures.push((test, stdout));
                     }
                     TrIgnored => st.ignored += 1,
+                    TrAllowedFail => st.allowed_fail += 1,
                     TrMetrics(mm) => {
                         let tname = test.name;
                         let MetricMap(mm) = mm;
@@ -1471,8 +1483,13 @@ fn calc_result(desc: &TestDesc, task_result: Result<(), Box<Any + Send>>) -> Tes
                   .unwrap_or(false) {
                 TrOk
             } else {
-                TrFailedMsg(format!("Panic did not include expected string '{}'", msg))
+                if desc.allow_fail {
+                    TrAllowedFail
+                } else {
+                    TrFailedMsg(format!("Panic did not include expected string '{}'", msg))
+                }
             },
+        _ if desc.allow_fail => TrAllowedFail,
         _ => TrFailed,
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/run-pass/test-allow-fail-attr.rs b/src/test/run-pass/test-allow-fail-attr.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7d750d51dcd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/run-pass/test-allow-fail-attr.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+// Copyright 2016 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT
+// file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at
+// http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license
+// <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your
+// option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
+// except according to those terms.
+
+// compile-flags: --test
+
+#[test]
+#[allow_fail]
+fn test1() {
+    panic!();
+}
+
+#[test]
+#[allow_fail]
+fn test2() {
+    assert!(true);
+}
diff --git a/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs b/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
index c88ffba357a..b4663b0ee6c 100644
--- a/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/tools/compiletest/src/main.rs
@@ -476,6 +476,7 @@ pub fn make_test(config: &Config, testpaths: &TestPaths) -> test::TestDescAndFn
             name: make_test_name(config, testpaths),
             ignore: ignore,
             should_panic: should_panic,
+            allow_fail: false,
         },
         testfn: make_test_closure(config, testpaths),
     }