diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-suite b/libexec/bats-exec-suite
index e5389ad..96de2a5 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-suite
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-suite
@@ -1,9 +1,15 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -e
 
-count_only=""
+count_only_flag=""
 if [ "$1" = "-c" ]; then
-  count_only=1
+  count_only_flag=1
+  shift
+fi
+
+extended_syntax_flag=""
+if [ "$1" = "-x" ]; then
+  extended_syntax_flag="-x"
   shift
 fi
 
@@ -14,7 +20,7 @@ for filename in "$@"; do
   count=$(($count + $(bats-exec-test -c "$filename")))
 done
 
-if [ -n "$count_only" ]; then
+if [ -n "$count_only_flag" ]; then
   echo "$count"
   exit
 fi
@@ -28,9 +34,13 @@ for filename in "$@"; do
     IFS= read -r # 1..n
     while IFS= read -r line; do
       case "$line" in
-      "ok "* | "not ok "* )
+      "begin "* )
         index=$(($index + 1))
         echo "${line/ $index / $(($offset + $index)) }"
+        ;;
+      "ok "* | "not ok "* )
+        [ -n "$extended_syntax_flag" ] || index=$(($index + 1))
+        echo "${line/ $index / $(($offset + $index)) }"
         [ "${line:0:6}" != "not ok" ] || status=1
         ;;
       * )
@@ -38,7 +48,7 @@ for filename in "$@"; do
         ;;
       esac
     done
-  } < <( bats-exec-test "$filename" )
+  } < <( bats-exec-test $extended_syntax_flag "$filename" )
   offset=$(($offset + $index))
 done
 
diff --git a/libexec/bats-exec-test b/libexec/bats-exec-test
index f047892..13de84f 100755
--- a/libexec/bats-exec-test
+++ b/libexec/bats-exec-test
@@ -9,6 +9,12 @@ if [ "$1" = "-c" ]; then
   shift
 fi
 
+BATS_EXTENDED_SYNTAX=""
+if [ "$1" = "-x" ]; then
+  BATS_EXTENDED_SYNTAX="$1"
+  shift
+fi
+
 BATS_TEST_FILENAME="$1"
 if [ -z "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME" ]; then
   echo "usage: bats-exec <filename>" >&2
@@ -65,6 +71,9 @@ skip() {
 
 bats_test_begin() {
   BATS_TEST_DESCRIPTION="$1"
+  if [ -n "$BATS_EXTENDED_SYNTAX" ]; then
+    echo "begin $BATS_TEST_NUMBER $BATS_TEST_DESCRIPTION" >&3
+  fi
   setup
 }
 
@@ -122,7 +131,7 @@ bats_perform_tests() {
   test_number=1
   status=0
   for test_name in "$@"; do
-    "$0" "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME" "$test_name" "$test_number" || status=1
+    "$0" $BATS_EXTENDED_SYNTAX "$BATS_TEST_FILENAME" "$test_name" "$test_number" || status=1
     test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
   done
   exit "$status"
diff --git a/test/bats.bats b/test/bats.bats
index e636ca9..f794a74 100755
--- a/test/bats.bats
+++ b/test/bats.bats
@@ -129,3 +129,12 @@ fixtures bats
   [ "${lines[1]}" = "ok 1 # skip a skipped test" ]
   [ "${lines[2]}" = "ok 2 # skip (a reason) a skipped test with a reason" ]
 }
+
+@test "extended syntax" {
+  run bats-exec-test -x "$FIXTURE_ROOT/failing_and_passing.bats"
+  [ $status -eq 1 ]
+  [ "${lines[1]}" = "begin 1 a failing test" ]
+  [ "${lines[2]}" = "not ok 1 a failing test" ]
+  [ "${lines[4]}" = "begin 2 a passing test" ]
+  [ "${lines[5]}" = "ok 2 a passing test" ]
+}
diff --git a/test/suite.bats b/test/suite.bats
index 87f61d5..14f5008 100755
--- a/test/suite.bats
+++ b/test/suite.bats
@@ -50,3 +50,15 @@ fixtures suite
   echo "$output" | grep "^ok . more truth"
   echo "$output" | grep "^ok . quasi-truth"
 }
+
+@test "extended syntax in suite" {
+  FLUNK=1 run bats-exec-suite -x "$FIXTURE_ROOT/multiple/"*.bats
+  [ $status -eq 1 ]
+  [ "${lines[0]}" = "1..3" ]
+  [ "${lines[1]}" = "begin 1 truth" ]
+  [ "${lines[2]}" = "ok 1 truth" ]
+  [ "${lines[3]}" = "begin 2 more truth" ]
+  [ "${lines[4]}" = "ok 2 more truth" ]
+  [ "${lines[5]}" = "begin 3 quasi-truth" ]
+  [ "${lines[6]}" = "not ok 3 quasi-truth" ]
+}