diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4baba3c..81441dc 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 
+new features:
+	introduced option names substuser-early and su-e, currently equivalent
+	to option substuser (thanks to Mike Perry for providing the patch)
+
 ####################### V 1.7.0.1:
 
 corrections:
diff --git a/doc/socat.yo b/doc/socat.yo
index e06a908..52ccda7 100644
--- a/doc/socat.yo
+++ b/doc/socat.yo
@@ -1663,16 +1663,18 @@ label(OPTION_CHROOT_EARLY)dit(bf(tt(chroot-early=<directory>)))
    before opening the address. This call might require root privilege.
 label(OPTION_SETGID)dit(bf(tt(setgid=<group>)))
    Changes the primary link(<group>)(TYPE_GROUP) of the process after
-   processing the address. This call might require root privilege.
+   processing the address. This call might require root privilege. Please note
+   that this option does not drop other group related privileges.
 label(OPTION_SETGID_EARLY)dit(bf(tt(setgid-early=<group>)))
-   Changes the primary link(<group>)(TYPE_GROUP) of the process before opening
-   the address. This call might require root privilege.
+   Like link(setgit)(OPTION_SETGID) but is performed before opening the address.
 label(OPTION_SETUID)dit(bf(tt(setuid=<user>)))
    Changes the link(<user>)(TYPE_USER) (owner) of the process after processing
-   the address. This call might require root privilege.
+   the address. This call might require root privilege. Please note that this
+   option does not drop group related privileges. Check if option
+   link(su)(OPTION_SUBSTUSER) better fits your needs.
 label(OPTION_SETUID_EARLY)dit(bf(tt(setuid-early=<user>)))
-   Changes the link(<user>)(TYPE_USER) (owner) of the process before opening
-   the address. This call might require root privilege. 
+   Like link(setuid)(OPTION_SETSUID) but is performed before opening the
+   address.
 label(OPTION_SUBSTUSER)dit(bf(tt(su=<user>)))
    Changes the link(<user>)(TYPE_USER) (owner) and groups of the process after
    processing the address (link(example)(EXAMPLE_OPTION_SUBSTUSER)). This call might require root privilege. 
diff --git a/xio-process.c b/xio-process.c
index 246c47a..5ee3506 100644
--- a/xio-process.c
+++ b/xio-process.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* source: xio-process.c */
-/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2003 */
+/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2009 */
 /* Published under the GNU General Public License V.2, see file COPYING */
 
 /* this file handles process related addresses options */
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const struct optdesc opt_setgid_early= { "setgid-early",NULL,  OPT_SETGID_EARLY,
 const struct optdesc opt_setgid      = { "setgid",      NULL,  OPT_SETGID,      GROUP_PROCESS, PH_LATE2,    TYPE_GIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
 const struct optdesc opt_setuid_early= { "setuid-early",NULL,  OPT_SETUID_EARLY,GROUP_PROCESS, PH_EARLY,   TYPE_UIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
 const struct optdesc opt_setuid      = { "setuid",      NULL,  OPT_SETUID,      GROUP_PROCESS, PH_LATE2,    TYPE_UIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
+const struct optdesc opt_substuser_early   = { "substuser-early", "su-e",  OPT_SUBSTUSER_EARLY,   GROUP_PROCESS, PH_EARLY,  TYPE_UIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
 const struct optdesc opt_substuser   = { "substuser", "su",  OPT_SUBSTUSER,   GROUP_PROCESS, PH_LATE2,  TYPE_UIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
 const struct optdesc opt_substuser_delayed = { "substuser-delayed", "su-d", OPT_SUBSTUSER_DELAYED,   GROUP_PROCESS, PH_INIT,  TYPE_UIDT, OFUNC_SPEC };
 const struct optdesc opt_chroot_early = { "chroot-early", NULL, OPT_CHROOT_EARLY, GROUP_PROCESS, PH_EARLY, TYPE_STRING, OFUNC_SPEC };
diff --git a/xio-process.h b/xio-process.h
index 4a80928..09ddc8c 100644
--- a/xio-process.h
+++ b/xio-process.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* source: xio-process.h */
-/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001, 2002 */
+/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2009 */
 /* Published under the GNU General Public License V.2, see file COPYING */
 
 #ifndef __xio_process_h_included
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ extern const struct optdesc opt_setgid_early;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_setgid;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_setuid_early;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_setuid;
+extern const struct optdesc opt_substuser_early;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_substuser;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_substuser_delayed;
 extern const struct optdesc opt_chroot_early;
diff --git a/xioopts.c b/xioopts.c
index a5578ee..ca66ba9 100644
--- a/xioopts.c
+++ b/xioopts.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* source: xioopts.c */
-/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2008 */
+/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2009 */
 /* Published under the GNU General Public License V.2, see file COPYING */
 
 /* this file contains the source for address options handling */
@@ -1453,8 +1453,10 @@ const struct optname optionnames[] = {
 #endif
 	IF_ANY    ("su",	&opt_substuser)
 	IF_ANY    ("su-d",	&opt_substuser_delayed)
+	IF_ANY    ("su-e",	&opt_substuser_early)
 	IF_ANY    ("substuser",	&opt_substuser)
 	IF_ANY    ("substuser-delayed",	&opt_substuser_delayed)
+	IF_ANY    ("substuser-early",	&opt_substuser_early)
 	IF_TERMIOS("susp",	&opt_vsusp)
 #ifdef VSWTC
 	IF_TERMIOS("swtc",	&opt_vswtc)
@@ -3257,6 +3259,7 @@ int applyopts(int fd, struct opt *opts, enum e_phase phase) {
 	       opt->desc = ODESC_ERROR; ++opt; continue;
 	    }
 	    break;
+	 case OPT_SUBSTUSER_EARLY:
 	 case OPT_SUBSTUSER:
 	    {
 	       struct passwd *pwd;
diff --git a/xioopts.h b/xioopts.h
index db61752..df18d54 100644
--- a/xioopts.h
+++ b/xioopts.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /* source: xioopts.h */
-/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2008 */
+/* Copyright Gerhard Rieger 2001-2009 */
 /* Published under the GNU General Public License V.2, see file COPYING */
 
 #ifndef __xioopts_h_included
@@ -695,6 +695,7 @@ enum e_optcode {
 #  define ENABLE_OPTCODE
 #  include "xio-streams.h"
 #  undef ENABLE_OPTCODE
+   OPT_SUBSTUSER_EARLY,
    OPT_SUBSTUSER,
    OPT_SUBSTUSER_DELAYED,
    OPT_SYMBOLIC_LINK,	/* with pty */