diff --git a/src/doc/avrdude.texi b/src/doc/avrdude.texi
index 06a40219..784e5a56 100644
--- a/src/doc/avrdude.texi
+++ b/src/doc/avrdude.texi
@@ -1067,6 +1067,18 @@ The remaining two necessary XBee-to-MCU connections are not selectable
 the MCU's ‘TXD’ line.
 @end table
 
+@item serialupdi
+Extended parameters:
+@table @code
+@item @samp{rtsdtr=low|high}
+Forces RTS/DTR lines to assume low or high state during the whole
+programming session. Some programmers might use this signal to 
+indicate UPDI programming state, but this is strictly hardware
+specific.
+
+When not provided, driver/OS default value will be used.
+@end table
+
 @end table
 
 @page
diff --git a/src/serialupdi.c b/src/serialupdi.c
index 839d7d81..32fffb99 100644
--- a/src/serialupdi.c
+++ b/src/serialupdi.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static void serialupdi_setup(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
     exit(1);
   }
   memset(pgm->cookie, 0, sizeof(updi_state));
+  updi_set_rts_mode(pgm, RTS_MODE_DEFAULT);
   updi_set_datalink_mode(pgm, UPDI_LINK_MODE_16BIT);
 }
 
@@ -926,6 +927,35 @@ static int serialupdi_read_sib(PROGRAMMER * pgm, AVRPART *p, char *sib) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+static int serialupdi_parseextparms(PROGRAMMER * pgm, LISTID extparms)
+{
+  LNODEID ln;
+  const char *extended_param;
+  char rts_mode[5];
+  int rv = 0;
+
+  for (ln = lfirst(extparms); ln; ln = lnext(ln)) {
+    extended_param = ldata(ln);
+
+		if (sscanf(extended_param, "rtsdtr=%4s", rts_mode) == 1) {
+      if (strcasecmp(rts_mode, "low") == 0) {
+        updi_set_rts_mode(pgm, RTS_MODE_LOW);
+      } else if (strcasecmp(rts_mode, "high") == 0) {
+        updi_set_rts_mode(pgm, RTS_MODE_HIGH);
+      } else {
+        avrdude_message(MSG_INFO, "%s: RTS/DTR mode must be LOW or HIGH\n", progname);
+        return -1;
+      }
+			continue;
+		}
+
+    avrdude_message(MSG_INFO, "%s: serialupdi_parseextparms(): invalid extended parameter '%s'\n",
+                    progname, extended_param);
+    rv = -1;
+  }
+
+  return rv;
+}
 
 void serialupdi_initpgm(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
 {
@@ -936,6 +966,7 @@ void serialupdi_initpgm(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
    */
 
   pgm->initialize     = serialupdi_initialize;
+  pgm->parseextparams = serialupdi_parseextparms;
   pgm->display        = serialupdi_display;
   pgm->enable         = serialupdi_enable;
   pgm->disable        = serialupdi_disable;
diff --git a/src/updi_link.c b/src/updi_link.c
index 157c81b2..f87f8a83 100644
--- a/src/updi_link.c
+++ b/src/updi_link.c
@@ -39,9 +39,16 @@
 #include "updi_constants.h"
 #include "updi_state.h"
 
-static void msleep(int tms)
+static void updi_set_rtsdtr_mode(PROGRAMMER* pgm)
 {
-    usleep(tms * 1000);
+  updi_rts_mode rts_mode = updi_get_rts_mode(pgm);
+
+  if (rts_mode == RTS_MODE_DEFAULT) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  serial_set_dtr_rts(&pgm->fd, 0);
+  serial_set_dtr_rts(&pgm->fd, rts_mode == RTS_MODE_LOW ? 1 : 0);
 }
 
 static int updi_physical_open(PROGRAMMER* pgm, int baudrate, unsigned long cflags)
@@ -65,11 +72,17 @@ static int updi_physical_open(PROGRAMMER* pgm, int baudrate, unsigned long cflag
    */
   serial_drain(&pgm->fd, 0);
 
+  /*
+   * set RTS/DTR mode if needed
+   */
+  updi_set_rtsdtr_mode(pgm);
+
   return 0;
 }
 
 static void updi_physical_close(PROGRAMMER* pgm)
 {
+  serial_set_dtr_rts(&pgm->fd, 0);
   serial_close(&pgm->fd);
   pgm->fd.ifd = -1;
 }
@@ -124,28 +137,31 @@ static int updi_physical_send_double_break(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
 
   avrdude_message(MSG_DEBUG, "%s: Sending double break\n", progname);
 
-  updi_physical_close(pgm);
-
-  if (updi_physical_open(pgm, 300, SERIAL_8E1)==-1) {
-
+  if (serial_setparams(&pgm->fd, 300, SERIAL_8E1) < 0) {
     return -1;
   }
 
-  buffer[0] = UPDI_BREAK;
-
-  serial_send(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
-  serial_recv(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
-
-  msleep(100);
+  updi_set_rtsdtr_mode(pgm);
 
   buffer[0] = UPDI_BREAK;
 
   serial_send(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
   serial_recv(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
 
-  updi_physical_close(pgm);
+  usleep(100*1000);
 
-  return updi_physical_open(pgm, pgm->baudrate? pgm->baudrate: 115200, SERIAL_8E2);
+  buffer[0] = UPDI_BREAK;
+
+  serial_send(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
+  serial_recv(&pgm->fd, buffer, 1);
+
+  if (serial_setparams(&pgm->fd, pgm->baudrate? pgm->baudrate: 115200, SERIAL_8E2) < 0) {
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  updi_set_rtsdtr_mode(pgm);
+
+  return 0;
 }
 
 int updi_physical_sib(PROGRAMMER * pgm, unsigned char * buffer, uint8_t size)
diff --git a/src/updi_state.c b/src/updi_state.c
index 63d80f46..2ca583c7 100644
--- a/src/updi_state.c
+++ b/src/updi_state.c
@@ -53,3 +53,13 @@ void updi_set_nvm_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm, updi_nvm_mode mode)
 {
   ((updi_state *)(pgm->cookie))->nvm_mode = mode;
 }
+
+updi_rts_mode updi_get_rts_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm)
+{
+  return ((updi_state *)(pgm->cookie))->rts_mode;
+}
+
+void updi_set_rts_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm, updi_rts_mode mode)
+{
+  ((updi_state *)(pgm->cookie))->rts_mode = mode;
+}
diff --git a/src/updi_state.h b/src/updi_state.h
index d4e39d4c..a8a2702a 100644
--- a/src/updi_state.h
+++ b/src/updi_state.h
@@ -61,11 +61,19 @@ typedef struct
   char debug_version;
 } updi_sib_info;
 
+typedef enum
+{
+  RTS_MODE_DEFAULT,
+  RTS_MODE_LOW,
+  RTS_MODE_HIGH
+} updi_rts_mode;
+
 typedef struct
 {
   updi_sib_info sib_info;
   updi_datalink_mode datalink_mode;
   updi_nvm_mode nvm_mode;
+  updi_rts_mode rts_mode;
 } updi_state;
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
@@ -77,6 +85,8 @@ updi_datalink_mode updi_get_datalink_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm);
 void updi_set_datalink_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm, updi_datalink_mode mode);
 updi_nvm_mode updi_get_nvm_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm);
 void updi_set_nvm_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm, updi_nvm_mode mode);
+updi_rts_mode updi_get_rts_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm);
+void updi_set_rts_mode(PROGRAMMER * pgm, updi_rts_mode mode);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }