diff --git a/clamdscan/clamdscan.c b/clamdscan/clamdscan.c
index a855c749ea..a741d82c2f 100644
--- a/clamdscan/clamdscan.c
+++ b/clamdscan/clamdscan.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int ds, dms, ret, infected = 0, err = 0;
 	struct timeval t1, t2;
 	time_t starttime;
+	char *config_file;
         struct optstruct *opts;
         const struct optstruct *opt;
 #ifndef _WIN32
@@ -70,8 +71,30 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	return 2;
     }
 
-    if((clamdopts = optparse(optget(opts, "config-file")->strarg, 0, NULL, 1, OPT_CLAMD, 0, NULL)) == NULL) {
-	logg("!Can't parse clamd configuration file %s\n", optget(opts, "config-file")->strarg);
+	/* XXX: if the user-specified config file does not exist, 
+         *      try the clamd.conf file. */
+    config_file = optget(opts, "config-file")->strarg;
+	/* XXX: assert: config_file contains either 
+ 	 * 	/etc/clamdscan.conf or user-provided string */
+    if ( access(config_file,R_OK) ) {
+	/* XXX: file not found or readable: abort if the user provided the filename  
+   	* 	(one bug here: user specifies CONFDIR_CLAMDSCAN which is not found
+   	* 	and then we read CONFDIR_CLAMD ) */
+	if (strcmp(config_file,CONFDIR_CLAMDSCAN)) {
+		logg("!Can't find or read requested clamd configuration file %s\n", config_file);
+		return 2;
+	}
+	else {
+		config_file = CONFDIR_CLAMD;
+    		if ( access(config_file,R_OK) ) {
+			logg("!Can't find any readable clamd configuration file");
+			return 2;
+		}
+	}
+    }
+
+    if((clamdopts = optparse(config_file, 0, NULL, 1, OPT_CLAMD, 0, NULL)) == NULL) {
+	logg("!Can't parse clamd configuration file %s\n", config_file);
 	return 2;
     }
 
diff --git a/docs/man/clamdscan.1.in b/docs/man/clamdscan.1.in
index 8dc6804c0c..d709f111fb 100644
--- a/docs/man/clamdscan.1.in
+++ b/docs/man/clamdscan.1.in
@@ -28,7 +28,11 @@ Be quiet \- only output error messages.
 Write all messages (except for libclamav output) to the standard output (stdout).
 .TP 
 \fB\-\-config\-file=FILE\fR
-Read clamd settings from FILE.
+Read clamd settings from FILE. If this option is not specified, the program
+tries @CFGDIR@/clamdscan.conf, and if that is not found, it tries 
+@CFGDIR@/clamd.conf.  The program recognizes a small subset of clamd.conf's 
+configuration directives, and ignores all others. See the provided configuration 
+sample.
 .TP 
 \fB\-l FILE, \-\-log=FILE\fR
 Save the scan report to FILE.
diff --git a/etc/Makefile.am b/etc/Makefile.am
index 69a6e31548..fa9d355a55 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile.am
+++ b/etc/Makefile.am
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
 #  Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston,
 #  MA 02110-1301, USA.
 
-EXTRA_DIST = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamav-milter.conf.sample
+EXTRA_DIST = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamav-milter.conf.sample clamdscan.conf.sample 
 CFGINST = @CFGDIR@
 
-sysconf_DATA = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample
+sysconf_DATA = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamdscan.conf.sample
 
 if BUILD_CLAMD
 if HAVE_MILTER
diff --git a/etc/Makefile.in b/etc/Makefile.in
index 1a10989407..4220368951 100644
--- a/etc/Makefile.in
+++ b/etc/Makefile.in
@@ -301,9 +301,9 @@ target_vendor = @target_vendor@
 top_build_prefix = @top_build_prefix@
 top_builddir = @top_builddir@
 top_srcdir = @top_srcdir@
-EXTRA_DIST = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamav-milter.conf.sample
+EXTRA_DIST = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamav-milter.conf.sample clamdscan.conf.sample
 CFGINST = @CFGDIR@
-sysconf_DATA = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample $(am__append_1)
+sysconf_DATA = clamd.conf.sample freshclam.conf.sample clamdscan.conf.sample $(am__append_1)
 all: all-am
 
 .SUFFIXES:
diff --git a/etc/clamdscan.conf.sample b/etc/clamdscan.conf.sample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a63259dea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/etc/clamdscan.conf.sample
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+##
+## Sample clamdscan.conf file for a clamdscan program to 
+## work with a remote clamd scanner.
+##
+## Please read the clamd.conf(5) manual before editing this file.
+## The options in this sample file are all those that the clamdscan 
+##    program recognizes
+##
+
+## Connection information for daemon
+# Use local socket (unix only)
+# Default: yes
+LocalSocket yes
+
+## Or use TCP sockets
+# TCPSocket 3310
+# TCPAddr 127.0.0.1
+
+# Close the connection when the data size limit is exceeded.
+# The value should match your MTA's limit for a maximum attachment size.
+# <This option also used by clamdscan>
+# Default: 25M
+StreamMaxLength 200M
+
+# Maximum depth directories are scanned at.
+# Default: 15
+MaxDirectoryRecursion 250
+
+# This directive can be used multiple times
+# Default: scan all
+#ExcludePath ^/proc/
+#ExcludePath ^/sys/
+
+# Follow directory symlinks.
+# Default: no
+#FollowDirectorySymlinks yes
+
+# Follow regular file symlinks.
+# Default: no
+#FollowFileSymlinks yes
diff --git a/platform.h.in b/platform.h.in
index bddbf1b38f..6ff6b85410 100644
--- a/platform.h.in
+++ b/platform.h.in
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ typedef	unsigned	int	in_addr_t;
 #endif
 
 #define CONFDIR_CLAMD CONFDIR PATHSEP "clamd.conf"
+#define CONFDIR_CLAMDSCAN CONFDIR PATHSEP "clamdscan.conf"
 #define CONFDIR_FRESHCLAM CONFDIR PATHSEP "freshclam.conf"
 #define CONFDIR_MILTER CONFDIR PATHSEP "clamav-milter.conf"
 
diff --git a/shared/optparser.c b/shared/optparser.c
index b99a3ff800..9371d32d9c 100644
--- a/shared/optparser.c
+++ b/shared/optparser.c
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ const struct clam_option __clam_options[] = {
 
     /* cmdline only */
     { NULL, "help", 'h', TYPE_BOOL, MATCH_BOOL, 0, NULL, 0, OPT_CLAMD | OPT_FRESHCLAM | OPT_CLAMSCAN | OPT_CLAMDSCAN | OPT_SIGTOOL | OPT_MILTER | OPT_CLAMCONF | OPT_CLAMDTOP | OPT_CLAMBC, "", "" },
-    { NULL, "config-file", 'c', TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, CONFDIR_CLAMD, FLAG_REQUIRED, OPT_CLAMD | OPT_CLAMDSCAN | OPT_CLAMDTOP, "", "" },
+    { NULL, "config-file", 'c', TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, CONFDIR_CLAMD, FLAG_REQUIRED, OPT_CLAMD | OPT_CLAMDTOP, "", "" },
+    { NULL, "config-file", 'c', TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, CONFDIR_CLAMDSCAN, FLAG_REQUIRED, OPT_CLAMDSCAN, "", "" },
     { NULL, "config-file", 0, TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, CONFDIR_FRESHCLAM, FLAG_REQUIRED, OPT_FRESHCLAM, "", "" },
     { NULL, "config-file", 'c', TYPE_STRING, NULL, 0, CONFDIR_MILTER, FLAG_REQUIRED, OPT_MILTER, "", "" },
     { NULL, "version", 'V', TYPE_BOOL, MATCH_BOOL, 0, NULL, 0, OPT_CLAMD | OPT_FRESHCLAM | OPT_CLAMSCAN | OPT_CLAMDSCAN | OPT_SIGTOOL | OPT_MILTER | OPT_CLAMCONF | OPT_CLAMDTOP | OPT_CLAMBC, "", "" },