diff --git a/coffee/chosen.jquery.coffee b/coffee/chosen.jquery.coffee
index 3072fcb861c..42f42fe7921 100644
--- a/coffee/chosen.jquery.coffee
+++ b/coffee/chosen.jquery.coffee
@@ -334,6 +334,8 @@ class Chosen extends AbstractChosen
       close_link = $('<a />', { class: 'search-choice-close', 'data-option-array-index': item.array_index })
       close_link.on 'click.chosen', (evt) => this.choice_destroy_link_click(evt)
       choice.append close_link
+    if @inherit_option_classes && item.classes
+      choice[0].classList.add item.classes
 
     @search_container.before  choice
 
diff --git a/coffee/chosen.proto.coffee b/coffee/chosen.proto.coffee
index f6873572104..d15c881b6f4 100644
--- a/coffee/chosen.proto.coffee
+++ b/coffee/chosen.proto.coffee
@@ -345,6 +345,8 @@ class @Chosen extends AbstractChosen
       close_link = new Element('a', { href: '#', class: 'search-choice-close', rel: item.array_index })
       close_link.observe "click", (evt) => this.choice_destroy_link_click(evt)
       choice.insert close_link
+    if @inherit_option_classes && item.classes
+      choice[0].classList.add item.classes
 
     @search_container.insert { before: choice }
 
diff --git a/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee b/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
index 1a79a5ed5f2..ce1ac024b5c 100644
--- a/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
+++ b/coffee/lib/abstract-chosen.coffee
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class AbstractChosen
     @single_backstroke_delete = if @options.single_backstroke_delete? then @options.single_backstroke_delete else true
     @max_selected_options = @options.max_selected_options || Infinity
     @inherit_select_classes = @options.inherit_select_classes || false
+    @inherit_option_classes = @options.inherit_option_classes || false
     @display_selected_options = if @options.display_selected_options? then @options.display_selected_options else true
     @display_disabled_options = if @options.display_disabled_options? then @options.display_disabled_options else true
     @include_group_label_in_selected = @options.include_group_label_in_selected || false
diff --git a/public/options.html b/public/options.html
index c988a844885..c972f0dfd09 100644
--- a/public/options.html
+++ b/public/options.html
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ <h3>Example:</h3>
           <td>false</td>
           <td>When set to <code class="language-javascript">true</code>, Chosen will grab any classes on the original select field and add them to Chosen’s container div.</td>
         </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>inherit_option_classes</td>
+          <td>false</td>
+          <td>When set to <code class="language-javascript">true</code>, Chosen will grab any classes on the original option tags and add them to Chosen’s container li.</td>
+        </tr>
         <tr>
           <td>max_selected_options</td>
           <td>Infinity</td>