diff --git a/collects/net/base64.rkt b/collects/net/base64.rkt
index 087c927d8c..a95e4cd538 100644
--- a/collects/net/base64.rkt
+++ b/collects/net/base64.rkt
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
     (base64-decode-stream (open-input-bytes src) s)
     (get-output-bytes s)))
 
-(define (base64-encode src)
+(define (base64-encode src [linesep #"\r\n"])
   (let ([s (open-output-bytes)])
-    (base64-encode-stream (open-input-bytes src) s (bytes 13 10))
+    (base64-encode-stream (open-input-bytes src) s linesep)
     (get-output-bytes s)))
diff --git a/collects/net/scribblings/base64.scrbl b/collects/net/scribblings/base64.scrbl
index 0d3b6293ed..a3a8920558 100644
--- a/collects/net/scribblings/base64.scrbl
+++ b/collects/net/scribblings/base64.scrbl
@@ -8,11 +8,12 @@ utilities for Base 64 (MIME-standard) encoding and decoding.}
 
 @section[#:tag "base64-procs"]{Functions}
 
-@defproc[(base64-encode [bstr bytes?]) bytes?]{
+@defproc[(base64-encode [bstr bytes?] [newline-bstr bytes? #"\r\n"]) bytes?]{
 
 Consumes a byte string and returns its Base 64 encoding as a new byte
 string.  The returned string is broken into 72-byte lines separated by
-CRLF combinations, and always ends with a CRLF combination unless the
+@racket[newline-bstr], which defaults to a CRLF combination, and the
+result always ends with a @racket[newline-bstr] unless the
 input is empty.}
 
 
diff --git a/collects/tests/racket/net.rktl b/collects/tests/racket/net.rktl
index 9b86f927f5..33e1c297ea 100644
--- a/collects/tests/racket/net.rktl
+++ b/collects/tests/racket/net.rktl
@@ -12,4 +12,11 @@
          net/qp
          mzlib/port)
 
+(test #"" base64-encode #"")
+(test #"" base64-encode #"" #"<>")
+(test #"V2h5IGRvIGF4ZSBtdXJkZXJlcnMgb25seSBhdHRhY2sKV2hlbiB5b3UncmUgcGFydGlhbGx5\r\nIG51ZGUKT3IgeW91J3JlIHRha2luZyBhIGJhdGg=\r\n"
+      base64-encode #"Why do axe murderers only attack\nWhen you're partially nude\nOr you're taking a bath")
+(test #"V2h5IGRvIGF4ZSBtdXJkZXJlcnMgb25seSBhdHRhY2sKV2hlbiB5b3UncmUgcGFydGlhbGx5<>IG51ZGUKT3IgeW91J3JlIHRha2luZyBhIGJhdGg=<>"
+      base64-encode #"Why do axe murderers only attack\nWhen you're partially nude\nOr you're taking a bath" #"<>")
+
 (report-errs)