diff --git a/flask/helpers.py b/flask/helpers.py
index 6aea45c6..a1c09cc5 100644
--- a/flask/helpers.py
+++ b/flask/helpers.py
@@ -229,6 +229,9 @@ def url_for(endpoint, **values):
     that this is for building URLs outside the current application, and not for
     handling 404 NotFound errors.
 
+    .. versionadded:: 0.10
+       The `_scheme` parameter was added.
+
     .. versionadded:: 0.9
        The `_anchor` and `_method` parameters were added.
 
@@ -241,6 +244,8 @@ def url_for(endpoint, **values):
     :param _external: if set to `True`, an absolute URL is generated. Server
       address can be changed via `SERVER_NAME` configuration variable which
       defaults to `localhost`.
+    :param _scheme: a string specifying the desired URL scheme. The `_external`
+      parameter must be set to `True` or a `ValueError` is raised.
     :param _anchor: if provided this is added as anchor to the URL.
     :param _method: if provided this explicitly specifies an HTTP method.
     """
@@ -283,7 +288,14 @@ def url_for(endpoint, **values):
 
     anchor = values.pop('_anchor', None)
     method = values.pop('_method', None)
+    scheme = values.pop('_scheme', None)
     appctx.app.inject_url_defaults(endpoint, values)
+
+    if scheme is not None:
+        if not external:
+            raise ValueError('When specifying _scheme, _external must be True')
+        url_adapter.url_scheme = scheme
+
     try:
         rv = url_adapter.build(endpoint, values, method=method,
                                force_external=external)
diff --git a/flask/testsuite/helpers.py b/flask/testsuite/helpers.py
index 31f0dcb4..fdf2d89f 100644
--- a/flask/testsuite/helpers.py
+++ b/flask/testsuite/helpers.py
@@ -397,6 +397,28 @@ class LoggingTestCase(FlaskTestCase):
             self.assert_equal(flask.url_for('index', _anchor='x y'),
                               '/#x%20y')
 
+    def test_url_for_with_scheme(self):
+        app = flask.Flask(__name__)
+        @app.route('/')
+        def index():
+            return '42'
+        with app.test_request_context():
+            self.assert_equal(flask.url_for('index',
+                                            _external=True,
+                                            _scheme='https'),
+                              'https://localhost/')
+
+    def test_url_for_with_scheme_not_external(self):
+        app = flask.Flask(__name__)
+        @app.route('/')
+        def index():
+            return '42'
+        with app.test_request_context():
+            self.assert_raises(ValueError,
+                               flask.url_for,
+                               'index',
+                               _scheme='https')
+
     def test_url_with_method(self):
         from flask.views import MethodView
         app = flask.Flask(__name__)