diff --git a/doc/source/styleguide.rst b/doc/source/styleguide.rst
index b3a714d6..26ee3bd4 100644
--- a/doc/source/styleguide.rst
+++ b/doc/source/styleguide.rst
@@ -69,3 +69,16 @@ Format
                       'can improve data throughput, such as when high '
                       'network bandwidth is available and you use '
                       'compressed image formats like qcow2.')
+
+2. It is possible to preformat the multi-line strings to increase readability.
+   Line break characters ``\n`` will be kept as they are used in the help text.
+   Example::
+
+     cfg.IntOpt('sync_power_state_interval',
+                default=600,
+                help='Interval to sync power states between the database and '
+                     'the hypervisor.\n'
+                     '\n'
+                     '-1: disables the sync \n'
+                     ' 0: run at the default rate.\n'
+                     '>0: the interval in seconds')
diff --git a/oslo_config/generator.py b/oslo_config/generator.py
index e39bc885..9e23e80a 100644
--- a/oslo_config/generator.py
+++ b/oslo_config/generator.py
@@ -88,10 +88,16 @@ class _OptFormatter(object):
         :param help_text: The text of the help string
         """
         if self.wrap_width is not None and self.wrap_width > 0:
-            lines = [textwrap.fill(help_text,
-                                   self.wrap_width,
-                                   initial_indent='# ',
-                                   subsequent_indent='# ') + '\n']
+            wrapped = ""
+            for line in help_text.splitlines():
+                text = "\n".join(textwrap.wrap(line, self.wrap_width,
+                                               initial_indent='# ',
+                                               subsequent_indent='# ',
+                                               break_long_words=False,
+                                               replace_whitespace=False))
+                wrapped += "#" if text == "" else text
+                wrapped += "\n"
+            lines = [wrapped]
         else:
             lines = ['# ' + help_text + '\n']
         return lines
diff --git a/oslo_config/tests/test_generator.py b/oslo_config/tests/test_generator.py
index 262a0542..5e298ff8 100644
--- a/oslo_config/tests/test_generator.py
+++ b/oslo_config/tests/test_generator.py
@@ -48,6 +48,19 @@ class GeneratorTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
                                      'cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa '
                                      'qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est '
                                      'laborum.'),
+        'long_help_pre': cfg.StrOpt('long_help_pre',
+                                    help='This is a very long help text which '
+                                         'is preformatted with line breaks. '
+                                         'It should break when it is too long '
+                                         'but also keep the specified line '
+                                         'breaks. This makes it possible to '
+                                         'create lists with items:\n'
+                                         '\n'
+                                         '* item 1\n'
+                                         '* item 2\n'
+                                         '\n'
+                                         'and should increase the '
+                                         'readability.'),
         'choices_opt': cfg.StrOpt('choices_opt',
                                   default='a',
                                   choices=(None, '', 'a', 'b', 'c'),
@@ -288,6 +301,26 @@ class GeneratorTestCase(base.BaseTestCase):
 '(string value)'
 '''
 #long_help = <None>
+''')),
+        ('long_help_with_preformatting',
+         dict(opts=[('test', [(None, [opts['long_help_pre']])])],
+              wrap_width=70,
+              expected='''[DEFAULT]
+
+#
+# From test
+#
+
+# This is a very long help text which is preformatted with line
+# breaks. It should break when it is too long but also keep the
+# specified line breaks. This makes it possible to create lists with
+# items:
+#
+# * item 1
+# * item 2
+#
+# and should increase the readability. (string value)
+#long_help_pre = <None>
 ''')),
         ('choices_opt',
          dict(opts=[('test', [(None, [opts['choices_opt']])])],