diff --git a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_servers.py b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_servers.py
index f13fa7577..2a812f856 100644
--- a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_servers.py
+++ b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_servers.py
@@ -261,6 +261,15 @@ class ServersTest(utils.TestCase):
     def test_rebuild_server_disk_config_manual(self):
         self._rebuild_resize_disk_config('MANUAL')
 
+    def test_rebuild_server_preserve_ephemeral(self):
+        s = cs.servers.get(1234)
+        s.rebuild(image=1, preserve_ephemeral=True)
+        cs.assert_called('POST', '/servers/1234/action')
+        body = cs.client.callstack[-1][-1]
+        d = body['rebuild']
+        self.assertIn('preserve_ephemeral', d)
+        self.assertEqual(d['preserve_ephemeral'], True)
+
     def test_resize_server(self):
         s = cs.servers.get(1234)
         s.resize(flavor=1)
diff --git a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
index c02dc3dcf..9e29a1425 100644
--- a/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
+++ b/novaclient/tests/v1_1/test_shell.py
@@ -733,6 +733,27 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
         self.assert_called('GET', '/flavors/1', pos=-2)
         self.assert_called('GET', '/images/2')
 
+    def test_rebuild_preserve_ephemeral(self):
+        self.run_command('rebuild sample-server 1 --preserve-ephemeral')
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/servers', pos=-8)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/servers/1234', pos=-7)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/images/1', pos=-6)
+        self.assert_called('POST', '/servers/1234/action',
+                           {'rebuild': {'imageRef': 1,
+                                        'preserve_ephemeral': True}}, pos=-5)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/flavors/1', pos=-2)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/images/2')
+
+        self.run_command('rebuild sample-server 1 --rebuild-password asdf')
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/servers', pos=-8)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/servers/1234', pos=-7)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/images/1', pos=-6)
+        self.assert_called('POST', '/servers/1234/action',
+                           {'rebuild': {'imageRef': 1, 'adminPass': 'asdf'}},
+                           pos=-5)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/flavors/1', pos=-2)
+        self.assert_called('GET', '/images/2')
+
     def test_start(self):
         self.run_command('start sample-server')
         self.assert_called('POST', '/servers/1234/action', {'os-start': None})
diff --git a/novaclient/v1_1/servers.py b/novaclient/v1_1/servers.py
index dbbad7b22..9133d4057 100644
--- a/novaclient/v1_1/servers.py
+++ b/novaclient/v1_1/servers.py
@@ -241,14 +241,18 @@ class Server(base.Resource):
         """
         self.manager.reboot(self, reboot_type)
 
-    def rebuild(self, image, password=None, **kwargs):
+    def rebuild(self, image, password=None, preserve_ephemeral=False,
+            **kwargs):
         """
         Rebuild -- shut down and then re-image -- this server.
 
         :param image: the :class:`Image` (or its ID) to re-image with.
         :param password: string to set as password on the rebuilt server.
+        :param preserve_ephemeral: If True, request that any ephemeral device
+            be preserved when rebuilding the instance. Defaults to False.
         """
-        return self.manager.rebuild(self, image, password=password, **kwargs)
+        return self.manager.rebuild(self, image, password=password,
+            preserve_ephemeral=preserve_ephemeral, **kwargs)
 
     def resize(self, flavor, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -748,7 +752,7 @@ class ServerManager(base.BootingManagerWithFind):
         self._action('reboot', server, {'type': reboot_type})
 
     def rebuild(self, server, image, password=None, disk_config=None,
-                **kwargs):
+                preserve_ephemeral=False, **kwargs):
         """
         Rebuild -- shut down and then re-image -- a server.
 
@@ -757,12 +761,16 @@ class ServerManager(base.BootingManagerWithFind):
         :param password: string to set as password on the rebuilt server.
         :param disk_config: partitioning mode to use on the rebuilt server.
                             Valid values are 'AUTO' or 'MANUAL'
+        :param preserve_ephemeral: If True, request that any ephemeral device
+            be preserved when rebuilding the instance. Defaults to False.
         """
         body = {'imageRef': base.getid(image)}
         if password is not None:
             body['adminPass'] = password
         if disk_config is not None:
             body['OS-DCF:diskConfig'] = disk_config
+        if preserve_ephemeral is not False:
+            body['preserve_ephemeral'] = True
 
         _resp, body = self._action('rebuild', server, body, **kwargs)
         return Server(self, body['server'])
diff --git a/novaclient/v1_1/shell.py b/novaclient/v1_1/shell.py
index 890fd0daa..97a377fc4 100644
--- a/novaclient/v1_1/shell.py
+++ b/novaclient/v1_1/shell.py
@@ -1207,6 +1207,10 @@ def do_reboot(cs, args):
     action="store_true",
     default=False,
     help='Skips flavor/image lookups when showing servers')
+@utils.arg('--preserve-ephemeral',
+    action="store_true",
+    default=False,
+    help='Preserve the default ephemeral storage partition on rebuild.')
 def do_rebuild(cs, args):
     """Shutdown, re-image, and re-boot a server."""
     server = _find_server(cs, args.server)
@@ -1218,6 +1222,7 @@ def do_rebuild(cs, args):
         _password = None
 
     kwargs = utils.get_resource_manager_extra_kwargs(do_rebuild, args)
+    kwargs['preserve_ephemeral'] = args.preserve_ephemeral
     server.rebuild(image, _password, **kwargs)
     _print_server(cs, args)