diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md
index b56610e043..bbca4974c2 100644
--- a/docs/index.md
+++ b/docs/index.md
@@ -597,6 +597,20 @@ before(function() {
 
 > Before Mocha v3.0.0, `this.skip()` was not supported in asynchronous tests and hooks.
 
+You may provide a `reason` argument to `this.skip()` which can be helpful in self documenting test results.
+
+```js
+it('should only test in the correct environment', function() {
+  if (/* check test environment */) {
+    // make assertions
+  } else {
+    this.skip('the environment is not correct');
+  }
+});
+```
+
+*Note*: The `reason` argument is only supported by `this.skip()`, not `.skip()`. If you want to mark a test as pending with a reason, it must be done at runtime.
+
 ## Retry Tests
 
 You can choose to retry failed tests up to a certain number of times. This feature is designed to handle end-to-end tests (functional tests/Selenium...) where resources cannot be easily mocked/stubbed. **It's not recommended to use this feature for unit tests**.
diff --git a/lib/context.js b/lib/context.js
index 812162b137..950d9bc466 100644
--- a/lib/context.js
+++ b/lib/context.js
@@ -80,9 +80,10 @@ Context.prototype.slow = function(ms) {
  *
  * @api private
  * @throws Pending
+ * @param {string} reason
  */
-Context.prototype.skip = function() {
-  this.runnable().skip();
+Context.prototype.skip = function(reason) {
+  this.runnable().skip(reason);
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/reporters/json.js b/lib/reporters/json.js
index 046e4ba4a5..ebd241daa9 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/json.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/json.js
@@ -73,18 +73,25 @@ function JSONReporter(runner) {
  * @return {Object}
  */
 function clean(test) {
+  var res;
   var err = test.err || {};
   if (err instanceof Error) {
     err = errorJSON(err);
   }
 
-  return {
+  res = {
     title: test.title,
     fullTitle: test.fullTitle(),
     duration: test.duration,
     currentRetry: test.currentRetry(),
     err: cleanCycles(err)
   };
+
+  if (test.reason) {
+    res.reason = test.reason;
+  }
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/reporters/spec.js b/lib/reporters/spec.js
index 75e6dda1b5..6c9532fc8f 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/spec.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/spec.js
@@ -55,7 +55,10 @@ function Spec(runner) {
 
   runner.on('pending', function(test) {
     var fmt = indent() + color('pending', '  - %s');
-    console.log(fmt, test.title);
+    console.log(
+      fmt,
+      test.title + (test.reason ? ' (' + test.reason + ')' : '')
+    );
   });
 
   runner.on('pass', function(test) {
diff --git a/lib/reporters/xunit.js b/lib/reporters/xunit.js
index c1a930d2d8..93d983706a 100644
--- a/lib/reporters/xunit.js
+++ b/lib/reporters/xunit.js
@@ -173,7 +173,13 @@ XUnit.prototype.test = function(test) {
       )
     );
   } else if (test.isPending()) {
-    this.write(tag('testcase', attrs, false, tag('skipped', {}, true)));
+    var skippedAttrs = {};
+    if (test.reason) {
+      skippedAttrs.message = test.reason;
+    }
+    this.write(
+      tag('testcase', attrs, false, tag('skipped', skippedAttrs, true))
+    );
   } else {
     this.write(tag('testcase', attrs, true));
   }
diff --git a/lib/runnable.js b/lib/runnable.js
index 73da817793..dcb4de84a0 100644
--- a/lib/runnable.js
+++ b/lib/runnable.js
@@ -116,9 +116,14 @@ Runnable.prototype.enableTimeouts = function(enabled) {
  * @memberof Mocha.Runnable
  * @public
  * @api public
+ * @param {string} reason - Reason the Runnable is being skipped.
  */
-Runnable.prototype.skip = function() {
-  throw new Pending('sync skip');
+Runnable.prototype.skip = function(reason) {
+  if (reason) {
+    reason = String(reason);
+    this.reason = reason;
+  }
+  throw new Pending(reason);
 };
 
 /**
@@ -327,8 +332,12 @@ Runnable.prototype.run = function(fn) {
     this.resetTimeout();
 
     // allows skip() to be used in an explicit async context
-    this.skip = function asyncSkip() {
-      done(new Pending('async skip call'));
+    this.skip = function asyncSkip(reason) {
+      if (reason) {
+        reason = String(reason);
+        this.reason = reason;
+      }
+      done(new Pending(reason));
       // halt execution.  the Runnable will be marked pending
       // by the previous call, and the uncaught handler will ignore
       // the failure.
diff --git a/lib/runner.js b/lib/runner.js
index 6aefb34cce..5b2c1a17ec 100644
--- a/lib/runner.js
+++ b/lib/runner.js
@@ -323,9 +323,15 @@ Runner.prototype.hook = function(name, fn) {
         if (err instanceof Pending) {
           if (name === 'beforeEach' || name === 'afterEach') {
             self.test.pending = true;
+            if (err.message) {
+              self.test.reason = err.message;
+            }
           } else {
             suite.tests.forEach(function(test) {
               test.pending = true;
+              if (err.message) {
+                test.reason = err.message;
+              }
             });
             // a pending hook won't be executed twice.
             hook.pending = true;
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-before-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-before-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fe6e6b252c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-before-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in before with reason', function () {
+  before(function (done) {
+    var self = this;
+    setTimeout(function () {
+      self.skip('skip reason');
+    }, 50);
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e888b19e95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in beforeEach with reason', function () {
+  beforeEach(function (done) {
+    var self = this;
+    setTimeout(function () {
+      self.skip('skip reason');
+    }, 50);
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-spec-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-spec-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0c964298ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-async-spec-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in test with reason', function () {
+  it('should skip async with reason', function (done) {
+    var self = this;
+    setTimeout(function () {
+      self.skip('skip reason');
+    }, 50);
+  });
+
+  it('should run other tests in the suite', function () {
+    // Do nothing
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-before-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-before-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..968c4eafea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-before-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in before with reason', function () {
+  before(function () {
+    this.skip('skip reason');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c7e494154f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in beforeEach with reason', function () {
+  beforeEach(function () {
+    this.skip('skip reason');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+
+  it('should never run this test', function () {
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-spec-with-reason.fixture.js b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-spec-with-reason.fixture.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b6c272596d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/fixtures/pending/skip-sync-spec-with-reason.fixture.js
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+'use strict';
+
+describe('skip in test with reason', function () {
+  it('should skip immediately with reason', function () {
+    this.skip('skip reason');
+    throw new Error('never thrown');
+  });
+
+  it('should run other tests in the suite', function () {
+    // Do nothing
+  });
+});
diff --git a/test/integration/pending.spec.js b/test/integration/pending.spec.js
index 27601b7a0e..4a160fb135 100644
--- a/test/integration/pending.spec.js
+++ b/test/integration/pending.spec.js
@@ -61,6 +61,25 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 1);
           assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
           assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[0].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run('pending/skip-sync-spec-with-reason.fixture.js', args, function(
+          err,
+          res
+        ) {
+          if (err) {
+            done(err);
+            return;
+          }
+          assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 1);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 1);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
           done();
         });
       });
@@ -80,6 +99,25 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           done();
         });
       });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run('pending/skip-sync-before-with-reason.fixture.js', args, function(
+          err,
+          res
+        ) {
+          if (err) {
+            done(err);
+            return;
+          }
+          assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 2);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
+          assert.equal(res.pending[1].reason, 'skip reason');
+          done();
+        });
+      });
     });
 
     describe('in beforeEach', function() {
@@ -99,6 +137,26 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           done();
         });
       });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run(
+          'pending/skip-sync-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js',
+          args,
+          function(err, res) {
+            if (err) {
+              done(err);
+              return;
+            }
+            assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 2);
+            assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
+            assert.equal(res.pending[1].reason, 'skip reason');
+            done();
+          }
+        );
+      });
     });
   });
 
@@ -114,6 +172,25 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 1);
           assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
           assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[0].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run('pending/skip-async-spec-with-reason.fixture.js', args, function(
+          err,
+          res
+        ) {
+          if (err) {
+            done(err);
+            return;
+          }
+          assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 1);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 1);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
           done();
         });
       });
@@ -130,6 +207,27 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
           assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
           assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[0].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[1].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
+          done();
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run('pending/skip-async-before-with-reason.fixture.js', args, function(
+          err,
+          res
+        ) {
+          if (err) {
+            done(err);
+            return;
+          }
+          assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 2);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
+          assert.equal(res.pending[1].reason, 'skip reason');
           done();
         });
       });
@@ -149,9 +247,31 @@ describe('pending', function() {
           assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
           assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
           assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[0].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
+          assert.ok(!res.pending[1].hasOwnProperty('reason'));
           done();
         });
       });
+
+      it('should allow a skip reason', function(done) {
+        run(
+          'pending/skip-sync-beforeEach-with-reason.fixture.js',
+          args,
+          function(err, res) {
+            if (err) {
+              done(err);
+              return;
+            }
+            assert.equal(res.stats.pending, 2);
+            assert.equal(res.stats.passes, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.stats.failures, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.code, 0);
+            assert.equal(res.pending[0].reason, 'skip reason');
+            assert.equal(res.pending[1].reason, 'skip reason');
+            done();
+          }
+        );
+      });
     });
   });
 });
diff --git a/test/reporters/spec.spec.js b/test/reporters/spec.spec.js
index 2f4eee33e5..954516b818 100644
--- a/test/reporters/spec.spec.js
+++ b/test/reporters/spec.spec.js
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ describe('Spec reporter', function() {
   var runner;
   var useColors;
   var expectedTitle = 'expectedTitle';
+  var expectedReason = 'expected reason';
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     stdout = [];
@@ -52,6 +53,19 @@ describe('Spec reporter', function() {
       var expectedArray = ['  - ' + expectedTitle + '\n'];
       expect(stdout, 'to equal', expectedArray);
     });
+    it('should return title and reason', function() {
+      var suite = {
+        title: expectedTitle,
+        reason: expectedReason
+      };
+      runner = createMockRunner('pending test', 'pending', null, null, suite);
+      Spec.call({epilogue: function() {}}, runner);
+      process.stdout.write = stdoutWrite;
+      var expectedArray = [
+        '  - ' + expectedTitle + ' (' + expectedReason + ')' + '\n'
+      ];
+      expect(stdout, 'to equal', expectedArray);
+    });
   });
   describe('on pass', function() {
     describe('if test speed is slow', function() {
diff --git a/test/reporters/xunit.spec.js b/test/reporters/xunit.spec.js
index 8108c50b78..dfd6b29e86 100644
--- a/test/reporters/xunit.spec.js
+++ b/test/reporters/xunit.spec.js
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ describe('XUnit reporter', function() {
   var expectedMessage = 'some message';
   var expectedStack = 'some-stack';
   var expectedWrite = null;
+  var expectedReason = 'some reason';
 
   beforeEach(function() {
     stdout = [];
@@ -275,6 +276,42 @@ describe('XUnit reporter', function() {
 
         expect(expectedWrite, 'to be', expectedTag);
       });
+      it('should write expected tag with message', function() {
+        var xunit = new XUnit({on: function() {}, once: function() {}});
+
+        var expectedTest = {
+          isPending: function() {
+            return true;
+          },
+          title: expectedTitle,
+          parent: {
+            fullTitle: function() {
+              return expectedClassName;
+            }
+          },
+          duration: 1000,
+          reason: expectedReason
+        };
+        xunit.test.call(
+          {
+            write: function(string) {
+              expectedWrite = string;
+            }
+          },
+          expectedTest
+        );
+
+        var expectedTag =
+          '<testcase classname="' +
+          expectedClassName +
+          '" name="' +
+          expectedTitle +
+          '" time="1"><skipped message="' +
+          expectedReason +
+          '"/></testcase>';
+
+        expect(expectedWrite, 'to be', expectedTag);
+      });
     });
     describe('on test in any other state', function() {
       it('should write expected tag', function() {