diff --git a/doc/Changelog b/doc/Changelog
index edf4c10..e4743d6 100644
--- a/doc/Changelog
+++ b/doc/Changelog
@@ -5,6 +5,15 @@ sysvinit (2.93) released; urgency=low
     * Fixed error where pidof would not omit checking PIDs passed
       to it when the -o flag was used.
       Fixes Debian bug #913394.
+    * When the halt command is called with the -p flag (or as poweroff)
+      the command now passes the "-h -P" flags to shutdown. This
+      in turn sets the INIT_HALT environment variable to POWEROFF.
+      Assuming this value is checked by initscripts during the
+      shutting down procedure, it should cause the system to
+      be powered off.
+      If halt is called without -p then the value of INIT_HALT
+      is not set and the default action (often set in /etc/defaut/halt)
+      is taken.
 
 
 sysvinit (2.92) released; urgency=low
diff --git a/src/halt.c b/src/halt.c
index 98bdadf..a469147 100644
--- a/src/halt.c
+++ b/src/halt.c
@@ -155,13 +155,15 @@ int get_runlevel(void)
 /*
  *	Switch to another runlevel.
  */
-void do_shutdown(char *fl, char *tm)
+void do_shutdown(char *fl, int should_poweroff, char *tm)
 {
-	char *args[8];
+	char *args[9];
 	int i = 0;
 
 	args[i++] = "shutdown";
 	args[i++] = fl;
+        if ( (! strcmp(fl, "-h") ) && (should_poweroff) )
+           args[i++] = "-P";
 	if (tm) {
 		args[i++] = "-t";
 		args[i++] = tm;
@@ -259,7 +261,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 		 */
 		c = get_runlevel();
 		if (c != '0' && c != '6')
-			do_shutdown(do_reboot ? "-r" : "-h", tm);
+			do_shutdown(do_reboot ? "-r" : "-h", do_poweroff, tm);
 	}
 
 	/*