diff --git a/collects/redex/private/pict.rkt b/collects/redex/private/pict.rkt
index fd8a1be3cb..16840c4b6e 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/pict.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/private/pict.rkt
@@ -134,8 +134,9 @@
 (define (render-reduction-relation rr [filename #f]
                                    #:style [style (rule-pict-style)])
   (if filename
-      (save-as-ps (λ () (do-reduction-relation->pict 'render-reduction-relation rr style))
-                  filename)
+      (save-as-ps/pdf
+       (λ () (do-reduction-relation->pict 'render-reduction-relation rr style))
+       filename)
       (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size (make-object bitmap-dc% (make-object bitmap% 1 1))])
         (do-reduction-relation->pict 'render-reduction-relation rr style))))
 
@@ -476,7 +477,7 @@
 
 (define (render-language lang [filename #f] #:nts [nts (render-language-nts)])
   (if filename
-      (save-as-ps (λ () (do-language->pict 'render-language lang nts)) filename)
+      (save-as-ps/pdf (λ () (do-language->pict 'render-language lang nts)) filename)
       (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size (make-object bitmap-dc% (make-object bitmap% 1 1))])
         (do-language->pict 'render-language lang nts))))
 
@@ -512,23 +513,26 @@
                      (map (λ (x) (format " ~a" x)) (cdr langs-nts)))))))
      nts)))
 
-;; save-as-ps : (-> pict) string -> void
-(define (save-as-ps mk-pict filename) 
-  (let ([ps-dc (make-ps-dc filename)])
-    (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size ps-dc])
-      (send ps-dc start-doc "x")
-      (send ps-dc start-page)
-      (draw-pict (mk-pict) ps-dc 0 0)
-      (send ps-dc end-page)
-      (send ps-dc end-doc))))
+;; save-as-ps/pdf : (-> pict) path-string -> void
+(define (save-as-ps/pdf mk-pict filename) 
+  (let ([ps/pdf-dc (make-ps/pdf-dc filename)])
+    (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size ps/pdf-dc])
+      (send ps/pdf-dc start-doc "x")
+      (send ps/pdf-dc start-page)
+      (draw-pict (mk-pict) ps/pdf-dc 0 0)
+      (send ps/pdf-dc end-page)
+      (send ps/pdf-dc end-doc))))
 
-(define (make-ps-dc filename)
+(define (make-ps/pdf-dc filename)
   (let ([ps-setup (make-object ps-setup%)])
     (send ps-setup copy-from (current-ps-setup))
     (send ps-setup set-file filename)
     (send ps-setup set-mode 'file)
+    (define % (if (regexp-match #rx#"[.]pdf$" (path->bytes filename))
+                  pdf-dc%
+                  post-script-dc%))
     (parameterize ([current-ps-setup ps-setup])
-      (make-object post-script-dc% #f #f))))
+      (make-object % #f #f))))
 
 ;; raw-info : language-pict-info
 ;; nts : (listof symbol) -- the nts that the user expects to see
@@ -1015,8 +1019,8 @@
 (define (render-metafunction/proc mfs filename name)
   (cond
     [filename
-     (save-as-ps (λ () (metafunctions->pict/proc mfs name))
-                 filename)]
+     (save-as-ps/pdf (λ () (metafunctions->pict/proc mfs name))
+                     filename)]
     [else
      (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size (make-object bitmap-dc% (make-object bitmap% 1 1))])
        (metafunctions->pict/proc mfs name))]))
@@ -1035,7 +1039,7 @@
 (define (render-pict make-pict filename)
   (cond
     [filename
-     (save-as-ps make-pict filename)]
+     (save-as-ps/pdf make-pict filename)]
     [else
      (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size (make-object bitmap-dc% (make-object bitmap% 1 1))])
        (make-pict))]))
@@ -1132,7 +1136,7 @@
 
 (define (render-term/proc lang lw [filename #f])
   (if filename
-      (save-as-ps (λ () (do-term->pict lang lw)) filename)
+      (save-as-ps/pdf (λ () (do-term->pict lang lw)) filename)
       (parameterize ([dc-for-text-size (make-object bitmap-dc% (make-object bitmap% 1 1))])
         (do-term->pict lang lw))))
 
diff --git a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
index e7e782131c..b58013f333 100644
--- a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
+++ b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
@@ -2213,7 +2213,7 @@ turned into a pict for viewing in the REPL or using with
 Slideshow (see 
 @other-manual['(lib "scribblings/slideshow/slideshow.scrbl")]).
 
-@subsection{Picts & PostScript}
+@subsection{Picts, PDF, & PostScript}
 
 This section documents two classes of operations, one for
 direct use of creating postscript figures for use in papers
@@ -2240,10 +2240,12 @@ sets @racket[dc-for-text-size] and the latter does not.
 @defproc[(render-term [lang compiled-lang?] [term any/c] [file (or/c #f path-string?)]) 
          (if file void? pict?)]{
   Renders the term @racket[term]. If @racket[file] is @racket[#f],
-  it produces a pict; if @racket[file] is a path,  it saves
-  Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename. See
-  @racket[render-language] for details on the construction of the pict.
-  }
+  it produces a pict; if @racket[file] is a path, it saves
+  Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename, unless the filename
+  ends with @filepath{.pdf}, in which case it saves PDF.
+  
+  See @racket[render-language] for details on the construction of the pict.
+}
 
 
 @defproc[(term->pict [lang compiled-lang?] [term any/c]) pict?]{
@@ -2263,7 +2265,9 @@ sets @racket[dc-for-text-size] and the latter does not.
 
 Renders a language. If @racket[file] is @racket[#f],
 it produces a pict; if @racket[file] is a path, it saves
-Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename. See
+Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename, unless the filename
+ends with @filepath{.pdf}, in which case it saves PDF.
+See
 @racket[render-language-nts] for information on the
 @racket[nts] argument.
 
@@ -2293,8 +2297,9 @@ Slideshow or with other tools that combine picts together.
 
 Renders a reduction relation. If @racket[file] is @racket[#f],
 it produces a pict; if @racket[file] is a path, it saves
-Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename. See
-@racket[rule-pict-style] for information on the
+Encapsulated PostScript in the provided filename, unless the filename
+ends with @filepath{.pdf}, in which case it saves PDF.
+See @racket[rule-pict-style] for information on the
 @racket[style] argument.
 
 This function parameterizes @racket[dc-for-text-size] to install a
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/pict-test.rkt b/collects/redex/tests/pict-test.rkt
index f28c65bc0b..b575d8a569 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/pict-test.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/pict-test.rkt
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-(module pict-test mzscheme
+#lang racket/base
+(require racket/file)
   ;; these tests just make sure that errors don't
   ;; happen. These tests are really only last resorts
   ;; for testing functions that aren't easily extraced
@@ -14,30 +15,32 @@
   (define-language var-ab
     [var (a 
           b)])
-  (render-language var-ab)
+  (void (render-language var-ab))
   
   (define-language var-not-ab
     [var (variable-except x
                           y)])
-  (render-language var-not-ab)
+  (void (render-language var-not-ab))
   
   (let ()
     (define-metafunction empty-language [(zero any_in) 0])
-    (render-metafunction zero))
+    (void (render-metafunction zero)))
 
-  (render-reduction-relation
-   (reduction-relation
-    empty-language
-    (--> number_const
-         ,(term
-           (+ number_const 0)))))
+  (void
+   (render-reduction-relation
+    (reduction-relation
+     empty-language
+     (--> number_const
+          ,(term
+            (+ number_const 0))))))
   
-  (render-reduction-relation 
-   (reduction-relation
-    empty-language
-    (--> a b
-         (fresh x)
-         (fresh y))))
+  (void
+   (render-reduction-relation 
+    (reduction-relation
+     empty-language
+     (--> a b
+          (fresh x)
+          (fresh y)))))
   
 
   (define-language x1-9 
@@ -46,6 +49,10 @@
   (define-extended-language x0-10 x1-9
     (x 0 .... 10))
   
-  (render-language x0-10)
+  (void (render-language x0-10))
   
-  (printf "pict-test.rkt passed\n"))
+  (let ([tmp (make-temporary-file "redex-pict-test~a.pdf")])
+    (render-language x0-10 tmp)
+    (delete-file tmp))
+  
+  (printf "pict-test.rkt passed\n")
diff --git a/doc/release-notes/redex/HISTORY.txt b/doc/release-notes/redex/HISTORY.txt
index 4fe659cd88..e52c2539e8 100644
--- a/doc/release-notes/redex/HISTORY.txt
+++ b/doc/release-notes/redex/HISTORY.txt
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ v5.2.2
 
   * added define-extended-judgment-form
 
+  * extended render-* functions so they can produce PDF
+
 v5.2.1
 
   * rewrote the internals of the pattern matcher to be more consistent