diff --git a/lib/request.js b/lib/request.js
index b1c1192077..12d8c6b963 100644
--- a/lib/request.js
+++ b/lib/request.js
@@ -401,18 +401,23 @@ req.__defineGetter__('auth', function(){
 /**
  * Return subdomains as an array.
  *
- * For example "tobi.ferrets.example.com"
- * would provide `["ferrets", "tobi"]`.
+ * Subdomains are the dot-separated parts of the host before the main domain of
+ * the app. By default, the domain of the app is assumed to be the last two
+ * parts of the host. This can be changed by setting "subdomain offset".
+ *
+ * For example, if the domain is "tobi.ferrets.example.com":
+ * If "subdomain offset" is not set, req.subdomains is `["ferrets", "tobi"]`.
+ * If "subdomain offset" is 3, req.subdomains is `["tobi"]`.
  *
  * @return {Array}
  * @api public
  */
 
 req.__defineGetter__('subdomains', function(){
-  return this.get('Host')
-    .split('.')
-    .slice(0, -2)
-    .reverse();
+  var offset = this.app.get('subdomain offset');
+  if (offset == null) offset = 2;
+
+  return this.get('Host').split('.').reverse().slice(offset);
 });
 
 /**
diff --git a/test/req.subdomains.js b/test/req.subdomains.js
index 0447575e49..befafeb22f 100644
--- a/test/req.subdomains.js
+++ b/test/req.subdomains.js
@@ -33,5 +33,55 @@ describe('req', function(){
         .expect('[]', done);
       })
     })
+
+    describe('when subdomain offset is set', function(){
+      describe('when subdomain offset is zero', function(){
+        it('should return an array with the whole domain', function(done){
+          var app = express();
+          app.set('subdomain offset', 0);
+
+          app.use(function(req, res){
+            res.send(req.subdomains);
+          });
+
+          request(app)
+          .get('/')
+          .set('Host', 'tobi.ferrets.sub.example.com')
+          .expect('["com","example","sub","ferrets","tobi"]', done);
+        })
+      })
+
+      describe('when present', function(){
+        it('should return an array', function(done){
+          var app = express();
+          app.set('subdomain offset', 3);
+
+          app.use(function(req, res){
+            res.send(req.subdomains);
+          });
+
+          request(app)
+          .get('/')
+          .set('Host', 'tobi.ferrets.sub.example.com')
+          .expect('["ferrets","tobi"]', done);
+        })
+      })
+
+      describe('otherwise', function(){
+        it('should return an empty array', function(done){
+          var app = express();
+          app.set('subdomain offset', 3);
+
+          app.use(function(req, res){
+            res.send(req.subdomains);
+          });
+
+          request(app)
+          .get('/')
+          .set('Host', 'sub.example.com')
+          .expect('[]', done);
+        })
+      })
+    })
   })
 })