diff --git a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
index 6da6faf008..9bbefb3bd2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.cpp
@@ -254,6 +254,10 @@ LifeMeterBar::LifeMeterBar()
 	this->AddChild( &m_quadBlackBackground );
 	this->AddChild( m_pStream );
 
+	// set up progressive lifebar
+	m_iProgressiveLifebar = PREFSMAN->m_iProgressiveLifebar;
+	m_iMissCombo = 0;
+
 	AfterLifeChanged();
 }
 
@@ -322,6 +326,23 @@ void LifeMeterBar::ChangeLife( TapNoteScore score )
 		ASSERT(0);
 	}
 
+	// handle progressiveness here
+	switch( score )
+	{
+	case TNS_MARVELOUS:
+	case TNS_PERFECT:
+	case TNS_GREAT:
+	case TNS_GOOD:
+		m_iMissCombo = 0;
+		break;
+	case TNS_BOO:
+	case TNS_MISS:
+		fDeltaLife *= 1 + (float)m_iProgressiveLifebar/8 * m_iMissCombo;
+		// do this after; only successive boo/miss will
+		// increase the amount of life lost.
+		m_iMissCombo++;
+	}
+
 	if( fDeltaLife > 0 )
 		fDeltaLife *= PREFSMAN->m_fLifeDifficultyScale;
 	else
diff --git a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
index 02be06d27d..fa1b281ac1 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/LifeMeterBar.h
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ private:
 
 	float		m_fHotAlpha;
 	bool		m_bFailedEarlier;		// set this to true when life dips below 0
+
+	int			m_iProgressiveLifebar;	// cached from prefs
+	int			m_iMissCombo;			// current number of progressive boo/miss
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
index e1475a5036..c5d4c35bbf 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@ PrefsManager::PrefsManager()
 	m_bDebugMode = false;
 
 	m_bTenFooterInRed = true;
+	
+	// set to 0 so people aren't shocked at first
+	m_iProgressiveLifebar = 0;
 
 	/* DDR Extreme-style extra stage support.
 	 * Default off so people used to the current behavior (or those with extra
@@ -218,6 +221,7 @@ void PrefsManager::ReadGlobalPrefsFromDisk( bool bSwitchToLastPlayedGame )
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "ShowDancingCharacters",		m_bShowDancingCharacters );
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "TenFooterInRed",				m_bTenFooterInRed );
 	ini.GetValueI( "Options", "CourseSortOrder",			(int&)m_iCourseSortOrder );
+	ini.GetValueI( "Options", "ProgressiveLifebar",			(int&)m_iProgressiveLifebar );
 
 	ini.GetValueB( "Options", "UseUnlockSystem",			m_bUseUnlockSystem );
 
@@ -330,7 +334,7 @@ void PrefsManager::SaveGlobalPrefsToDisk()
 
 	ini.SetValueB( "Options", "TenFooterInRed",				m_bTenFooterInRed );
 	ini.SetValueI( "Options", "CourseSortOrder",			m_iCourseSortOrder );
-
+	ini.SetValueI( "Options", "ProgressiveLifebar",			m_iProgressiveLifebar );
 
 	/* Only write these if they aren't the default.  This ensures that we can change
 	 * the default and have it take effect for everyone (except people who
diff --git a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
index a64b18ccb6..80aa18e083 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/PrefsManager.h
@@ -83,6 +83,7 @@ public:
 	float			m_fGlobalOffsetSeconds;
 	bool			m_bDebugMode;
 	bool			m_bTenFooterInRed;
+	int				m_iProgressiveLifebar;
 
 	// course ranking
 	enum { COURSE_SORT_SONGS, COURSE_SORT_METER, COURSE_SORT_METER_SUM, COURSE_SORT_RANK } m_iCourseSortOrder;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenMachineOptions.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenMachineOptions.cpp
index c59f78dd62..a5e8f885c2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenMachineOptions.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenMachineOptions.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ enum {
 	MO_NUM_ARCADE_STAGES,
 	MO_JUDGE_DIFFICULTY,
 	MO_LIFE_DIFFICULTY,
+	MO_PROGRESSIVE_LIFEBAR,
 	MO_FAIL,
 	MO_SHOWSTATS,
 	MO_COINS_PER_CREDIT,
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@ OptionRow g_MachineOptionsLines[NUM_MACHINE_OPTIONS_LINES] = {
 	OptionRow( "Songs Per\nPlay",		"1","2","3","4","5","6","7","UNLIMITED" ),
 	OptionRow( "Judge\nDifficulty",		"1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8" ),
 	OptionRow( "Life\nDifficulty",		"1","2","3","4","5","6","7" ),
+	OptionRow( "Progressive\nLifebar",	"OFF","1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8"),
 	OptionRow( "Default\nFail Type",	"ARCADE","END OF SONG","OFF" ),	
 	OptionRow( "Show\nStats",			"OFF","ON" ),
 	OptionRow( "Coins Per\nCredit",		"1","2","3","4","5","6","7","8" ),
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ void ScreenMachineOptions::ImportOptions()
 
 	SongOptions so;
 	so.FromString( PREFSMAN->m_sDefaultModifiers );
+	m_iSelectedOption[0][MO_PROGRESSIVE_LIFEBAR]	= PREFSMAN->m_iProgressiveLifebar;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][MO_FAIL]					= so.m_FailType;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][MO_SHOWSTATS]				= PREFSMAN->m_bShowStats ? 1:0;
 	m_iSelectedOption[0][MO_COINS_PER_CREDIT]		= PREFSMAN->m_iCoinsPerCredit - 1;
@@ -146,6 +149,8 @@ void ScreenMachineOptions::ExportOptions()
 	default:	ASSERT(0);
 	}
 
+	PREFSMAN->m_iProgressiveLifebar = m_iSelectedOption[0][MO_PROGRESSIVE_LIFEBAR];
+
 	CString sModifiers = PREFSMAN->m_sDefaultModifiers;
 	PlayerOptions po;
 	po.FromString( sModifiers );