diff --git a/args4j/src/org/kohsuke/args4j/spi/StringOptionHandler.java b/args4j/src/org/kohsuke/args4j/spi/StringOptionHandler.java
index 1b7876f6..34b966fb 100644
--- a/args4j/src/org/kohsuke/args4j/spi/StringOptionHandler.java
+++ b/args4j/src/org/kohsuke/args4j/spi/StringOptionHandler.java
@@ -16,8 +16,24 @@ public StringOptionHandler(CmdLineParser parser, OptionDef option, Setter<? supe
 
     @Override
     public int parseArguments(Parameters params) throws CmdLineException {
-        setter.addValue(params.getParameter(0));
-        return 1;
+        int consumed = 0;
+        String param = params.getParameter(consumed);
+
+        if(param.startsWith("\"") || param.startsWith("'")) {
+            String end = String.valueOf(param.charAt(0));
+            StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
+            param = param.substring(1); // remove the quote-starting character
+            while(!param.endsWith(end)) {
+                builder.append(param); builder.append(" ");
+                consumed++;
+                param = params.getParameter(consumed);
+            }
+            builder.append(param, 0, param.length()-1); // append without the quote-ending character
+            setter.addValue(builder.toString());
+        } else {
+            setter.addValue(param);
+        }
+        return consumed + 1;
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/args4j/test/org/kohsuke/args4j/SimpleStringTest.java b/args4j/test/org/kohsuke/args4j/SimpleStringTest.java
index f68b6c92..f4f4b518 100644
--- a/args4j/test/org/kohsuke/args4j/SimpleStringTest.java
+++ b/args4j/test/org/kohsuke/args4j/SimpleStringTest.java
@@ -30,6 +30,28 @@ public void testSettingString() {
         }
     }
 
+    public void testSettingLongString() {
+        SimpleString bo = testObject;
+        args = new String[]{"-str", "\"longer", "string", "inside", "quotes\""};
+        try {
+            parser.parseArgument(args);
+            assertEquals( "longer string inside quotes", bo.str);
+        } catch (CmdLineException e) {
+            fail("Setting a string inside quotes should be possible");
+        }
+    }
+
+    public void testSettingMultiLineString() {
+        SimpleString bo = testObject;
+        args = new String[]{"-str", "\"multiline", "\n", "string\""};
+        try {
+            parser.parseArgument(args);
+            assertEquals( "multiline \n string", bo.str);
+        } catch (CmdLineException e) {
+            fail("Setting a string inside quotes should be possible");
+        }
+    }
+
     public void testSettingUsage() {
         args = new String[]{"-wrong-usage"};
         try {
@@ -60,7 +82,7 @@ public void testMissingParameter() {
             assertEquals("Got wrong usage message", expectedUsage, usageLines[0]);
         }
     }
-    
+
     /*
      * Bug 5: Option without "usage" are hidden.
      * TODO: it seems that this is intended: