diff --git a/docs/manifest-format.txt b/docs/manifest-format.txt
index 2b49d46..5c014d6 100644
--- a/docs/manifest-format.txt
+++ b/docs/manifest-format.txt
@@ -20,7 +20,10 @@ A manifest XML file (e.g. 'default.xml') roughly conforms to the
 following DTD:
 
 <!DOCTYPE manifest [
-  <!ELEMENT manifest (remote*, default?, project*)>
+  <!ELEMENT manifest (remote*,
+                      default?,
+                      project*,
+                      add-remote*)>
 
   <!ELEMENT remote (EMPTY)>
   <!ATTLIST remote name         ID    #REQUIRED>
@@ -37,6 +40,13 @@ following DTD:
   <!ATTLIST project path     CDATA #IMPLIED>
   <!ATTLIST project remote   IDREF #IMPLIED>
   <!ATTLIST project revision CDATA #IMPLIED>
+
+  <!ELEMENT add-remote (EMPTY)>
+  <!ATTLIST add-remote to-project   ID    #REQUIRED>
+  <!ATTLIST add-remote name         ID    #REQUIRED>
+  <!ATTLIST add-remote fetch        CDATA #REQUIRED>
+  <!ATTLIST add-remote review       CDATA #IMPLIED>
+  <!ATTLIST add-remote project-name CDATA #IMPLIED>
 ]>
 
 A description of the elements and their attributes follows.
@@ -74,6 +84,18 @@ Only permitted when the remote element is nested inside of a project
 element (see below).  If not given, defaults to the name supplied
 in the project's name attribute.
 
+Element add-remote
+------------------
+
+Adds a remote to an existing project, whose name is given by the
+to-project attribute.  This is functionally equivalent to nesting
+a remote element under the project, but has the advantage that it
+can be specified in the uesr's `local_manifest.xml` to add a remote
+to a project declared by the normal manifest.
+
+The element can be used to add a fork of an existing project that
+the user needs to work with.
+
 
 Element default
 ---------------
diff --git a/manifest.py b/manifest.py
index 6545568..2ac1453 100644
--- a/manifest.py
+++ b/manifest.py
@@ -165,6 +165,16 @@ class Manifest(object):
                 (project.name, self.manifestFile)
         self._projects[project.name] = project
 
+    for node in config.childNodes:
+      if node.nodeName == 'add-remote':
+        pn = self._reqatt(node, 'to-project')
+        project = self._projects.get(pn)
+        if not project:
+          raise ManifestParseError, \
+                'project %s not defined in %s' % \
+                (pn, self.manifestFile)
+        self._ParseProjectExtraRemote(project, node)
+
   def _AddMetaProjectMirror(self, m):
     name = None
     m_url = m.GetRemote(m.remote.name).url
@@ -281,18 +291,21 @@ class Manifest(object):
 
     for n in node.childNodes:
       if n.nodeName == 'remote':
-        r = self._ParseRemote(n)
-        if project.extraRemotes.get(r.name) \
-           or project.remote.name == r.name:
-          raise ManifestParseError, \
-                'duplicate remote %s in project %s in %s' % \
-                (r.name, project.name, self.manifestFile)
-        project.extraRemotes[r.name] = r
+        self._ParseProjectExtraRemote(project, n)
       elif n.nodeName == 'copyfile':
         self._ParseCopyFile(project, n)
 
     return project
 
+  def _ParseProjectExtraRemote(self, project, n):
+    r = self._ParseRemote(n)
+    if project.extraRemotes.get(r.name) \
+       or project.remote.name == r.name:
+      raise ManifestParseError, \
+            'duplicate remote %s in project %s in %s' % \
+            (r.name, project.name, self.manifestFile)
+    project.extraRemotes[r.name] = r
+
   def _ParseCopyFile(self, project, node):
     src = self._reqatt(node, 'src')
     dest = self._reqatt(node, 'dest')