diff --git a/osc/commandline.py b/osc/commandline.py
index f8fd660d..8bcbb2dd 100644
--- a/osc/commandline.py
+++ b/osc/commandline.py
@@ -1620,6 +1620,8 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
                                 '(\'osc bco\' is a shorthand for this option)' )
     @cmdln.option('-r', '--revision', metavar='rev',
                         help='branch against a specific revision')
+    @cmdln.option('-m', '--message', metavar='TEXT',
+                        help='specify message TEXT')
     def do_branch(self, subcmd, opts, *args):
         """${cmd_name}: Branch a package
 
@@ -1667,7 +1669,7 @@ Please submit there instead, or use --nodevelproject to force direct submission.
                 branch_pkg(conf.config['apiurl'], args[0], args[1],
                            nodevelproject=opts.nodevelproject, rev=opts.revision,
                            target_project=tproject, target_package=tpackage,
-                           return_existing=opts.checkout)
+                           return_existing=opts.checkout, msg=opts.message or '')
         if exists:
             print >>sys.stderr, 'Using existing branch project: %s' % targetprj
 
diff --git a/osc/core.py b/osc/core.py
index 0bab580c..1e9e01d7 100644
--- a/osc/core.py
+++ b/osc/core.py
@@ -3273,7 +3273,7 @@ def attribute_branch_pkg(apiurl, attribute, maintained_update_project_attribute,
     return r
 
 
-def branch_pkg(apiurl, src_project, src_package, nodevelproject=False, rev=None, target_project=None, target_package=None, return_existing=False):
+def branch_pkg(apiurl, src_project, src_package, nodevelproject=False, rev=None, target_project=None, target_package=None, return_existing=False, msg=''):
     """
     Branch a package (via API call)
     """
@@ -3286,6 +3286,8 @@ def branch_pkg(apiurl, src_project, src_package, nodevelproject=False, rev=None,
         query['target_project'] = target_project
     if target_package:
         query['target_package'] = target_package
+    if msg:
+        query['comment'] = msg
     u = makeurl(apiurl, ['source', src_project, src_package], query=query)
     try:
         f = http_POST(u)