diff --git a/wp-admin/admin-functions.php b/wp-admin/admin-functions.php
index 633922fc6c..6c42a4d75b 100644
--- a/wp-admin/admin-functions.php
+++ b/wp-admin/admin-functions.php
@@ -417,4 +417,60 @@ function check_admin_referer() {
   }
 }
 
+// insert_with_markers: Owen Winkler
+// Inserts an array of strings into a file (.htaccess), placing it between
+// BEGIN and END markers.  Replaces existing marked info.  Retains surrounding
+// data.  Creates file if none exists.
+// Returns true on write success, false on failure.
+function insert_with_markers($filename, $marker, $insertion) {
+    if (!file_exists($filename) || is_writeable($filename)) {
+        $markerdata = explode("\n", implode('', file($filename)));
+        $f = fopen($filename, 'w');
+        $foundit = false;
+        if ($markerdata) {
+            $state = true;
+            $newline = '';
+            foreach($markerdata as $markerline) {
+                if (strstr($markerline, "# BEGIN {$marker}")) $state = false;
+                if ($state) fwrite($f, "{$newline}{$markerline}");
+                if (strstr($markerline, "# END {$marker}")) {
+                    fwrite($f, "{$newline}# BEGIN {$marker}");
+                    if(is_array($insertion)) foreach($insertion as $insertline) fwrite($f, "{$newline}{$insertline}");
+                    fwrite($f, "{$newline}# END {$marker}");
+                    $state = true;
+                    $foundit = true;
+                }
+                $newline = "\n";
+            }
+        }
+        if (!$foundit) {
+            fwrite($f, "# BEGIN {$marker}\n");
+            foreach($insertion as $insertline) fwrite($f, "{$insertline}\n");
+            fwrite($f, "# END {$marker}");				
+        }
+        fclose($f);
+        return true;
+    } else {
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+// insert_with_markers: Owen Winkler
+// Returns an array of strings from a file (.htaccess) from between BEGIN
+// and END markers.
+function extract_from_markers($filename, $marker) {
+    $result = array();
+    if($markerdata = explode("\n", implode('', file($filename))));
+ {
+     $state = false;
+     foreach($markerdata as $markerline) {
+         if(strstr($markerline, "# END {$marker}"))	$state = false;
+         if($state) $result[] = $markerline;
+         if(strstr($markerline, "# BEGIN {$marker}")) $state = true;
+     }
+ }
+
+ return $result;
+}
+
 ?>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/wp-admin/options-permalink.php b/wp-admin/options-permalink.php
index 85a1fc4133..65cc4f3018 100644
--- a/wp-admin/options-permalink.php
+++ b/wp-admin/options-permalink.php
@@ -44,6 +44,21 @@ if (isset($_POST['submit'])) {
 <?php if (isset($_POST['submit'])) : ?>
 <div class="updated"><p><?php _e('Permalink structure updated.'); ?></p></div>
 <?php endif; ?>
+
+<?php if(isset($_POST['rules'])) {
+		$rules = explode("\n", $_POST['rules']);
+		if(insert_with_markers(ABSPATH.'.htaccess', 'WordPress', $rules)) {
+?>
+<div class="updated" id="htupdate"><p><?php _e('mod_rewrite rules written to .htaccess.'); ?></p></div>
+<?php
+		} else {
+?>
+<div class="updated" id="htupdate"><p><?php _e('Failed to write mod_rewrite rules to .htaccess.'); ?></p></div>
+<?php
+        }
+	}
+?>
+
 <div class="wrap"> 
   <h2><?php _e('Edit Permalink Structure') ?></h2> 
   <?php _e('<p>WordPress offers you the ability to create a custom URI structure for your permalinks and archives. The following &#8220;tags&#8221; are available:</p>')?> 
@@ -107,35 +122,18 @@ if (isset($_POST['submit'])) {
  if ($permalink_structure) {
 ?>
   <p><?php printf(__('Using the permalink structure value you currently have, <code>%s</code>, these are the mod_rewrite rules you should have in your <code>.htaccess</code> file. Click in the field and press <kbd>CTRL + a</kbd> to select all.'), $permalink_structure) ?></p>
-  <?php
-$site_root = str_replace('http://', '', trim(get_settings('siteurl')));
-$site_root = preg_replace('|([^/]*)(.*)|i', '$2', $site_root);
-if ('/' != substr($site_root, -1)) $site_root = $site_root . '/';
-
-$home_root = str_replace('http://', '', trim(get_settings('home')));
-$home_root = preg_replace('|([^/]*)(.*)|i', '$2', $home_root);
-if ('/' != substr($home_root, -1)) $home_root = $home_root . '/';
-
-?> 
-<form action="">
+<form action="options-permalink.php" method="post">
     <p>
-    	<textarea rows="5" style="width: 98%;">RewriteEngine On
-RewriteBase <?php echo $home_root; ?> 
-<?php
-$rewrite = rewrite_rules('', $permalink_structure);
-$rules = '';
-foreach ($rewrite as $match => $query) {
-	if (strstr($query, 'index.php')) {
-        $rules .= 'RewriteRule ^' . $match . ' ' . $home_root . $query . " [QSA]\n";
-    } else {
-        $rules .= 'RewriteRule ^' . $match . ' ' . $site_root . $query . " [QSA]\n";
-    }
-}
-echo apply_filters('rewrite_rules', $rules);
-?>
+<textarea rows="5" style="width: 98%;" name="rules"><?php echo mod_rewrite_rules($permalink_structure); ?>
 </textarea>
     </p>
-    <?php printf(__('<p>If your <code>.htaccess</code> file is writable by WordPress, you can <a href="%s">edit it through your template interface</a>.</p>'), 'templates.php?file=.htaccess') ?>
+<?php
+if ((! file_exists(ABSPATH.'.htaccess') && is_writable(ABSPATH)) || is_writable(ABSPATH.'.htaccess')) {
+?>
+    <p class="submit"> 
+        <input type="submit" name="writerules" value="<?php _e('Write mod_rewrite rules to .htaccess &raquo;') ?>"> 
+	</p>
+<?php } ?>
 </form>
  
 <?php
diff --git a/wp-includes/functions.php b/wp-includes/functions.php
index 9e70620c6a..aca0d24aa6 100644
--- a/wp-includes/functions.php
+++ b/wp-includes/functions.php
@@ -1352,6 +1352,31 @@ function rewrite_rules($matches = '', $permalink_structure = '') {
     return $rewrite;
 }
 
+function mod_rewrite_rules ($permalink_structure) {
+    $site_root = str_replace('http://', '', trim(get_settings('siteurl')));
+    $site_root = preg_replace('|([^/]*)(.*)|i', '$2', $site_root);
+    if ('/' != substr($site_root, -1)) $site_root = $site_root . '/';
+    
+    $home_root = str_replace('http://', '', trim(get_settings('home')));
+    $home_root = preg_replace('|([^/]*)(.*)|i', '$2', $home_root);
+    if ('/' != substr($home_root, -1)) $home_root = $home_root . '/';
+    
+    $rules = "RewriteEngine On\n";
+    $rules .= "RewriteBase $home_root\n";
+    $rewrite = rewrite_rules('', $permalink_structure);
+    foreach ($rewrite as $match => $query) {
+        if (strstr($query, 'index.php')) {
+            $rules .= 'RewriteRule ^' . $match . ' ' . $home_root . $query . " [QSA]\n";
+        } else {
+            $rules .= 'RewriteRule ^' . $match . ' ' . $site_root . $query . " [QSA]\n";
+        }
+    }
+
+    $rules = apply_filters('rewrite_rules', $rules);
+
+    return $rules;
+}
+
 function get_posts($args) {
 	global $wpdb;
 	parse_str($args, $r);