diff --git a/IPython/Magic.py b/IPython/Magic.py
index 8e8e758..e8b660a 100644
--- a/IPython/Magic.py
+++ b/IPython/Magic.py
@@ -3369,7 +3369,8 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
         """Allows you to paste & execute a pre-formatted code block from clipboard.
         
         The text is pulled directly from the clipboard without user
-        intervention.
+        intervention and printed back on the screen before execution (unless
+        the -q flag is given to force quiet mode).
 
         The block is dedented prior to execution to enable execution of method
         definitions. '>' and '+' characters at the beginning of a line are
@@ -3387,7 +3388,7 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
         
           -r: re-executes the block previously entered by cpaste.
 
-          -e: echo the pasted text back to the terminal.
+          -q: quiet mode: do not echo the pasted text back to the terminal.
         
         IPython statements (magics, shell escapes) are not supported (yet).
 
@@ -3395,7 +3396,7 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
         --------
         cpaste: manually paste code into terminal until you mark its end.
         """
-        opts,args = self.parse_options(parameter_s,'re',mode='string')
+        opts,args = self.parse_options(parameter_s,'rq',mode='string')
         par = args.strip()
         if opts.has_key('r'):
             self._rerun_pasted()
@@ -3404,8 +3405,8 @@ Defaulting color scheme to 'NoColor'"""
         text = self.shell.hooks.clipboard_get()
         block = self._strip_pasted_lines_for_code(text.splitlines())
 
-        if opts.has_key('e'):
-            # Echo back to terminal.
+        # By default, echo back to terminal unless quiet mode is requested
+        if not opts.has_key('q'):
             write = self.shell.write
             write(block)
             if not block.endswith('\n'):
diff --git a/IPython/tests/test_magic.py b/IPython/tests/test_magic.py
index 32265ff..393d749 100644
--- a/IPython/tests/test_magic.py
+++ b/IPython/tests/test_magic.py
@@ -262,7 +262,8 @@ class TestMagicRun(object):
 # Multiple tests for clipboard pasting
 def test_paste():
 
-    def paste(txt, flags=''):
+    def paste(txt, flags='-q'):
+        """Paste input text, by default in quiet mode"""
         hooks.clipboard_get = lambda : txt
         _ip.magic('paste '+flags)
 
@@ -302,7 +303,7 @@ def test_paste():
         _ip.magic('paste -r')
         yield (nt.assert_equal, user_ns['x'], [1,2,3])
 
-        # Also test paste -e, by temporarily faking the writer
+        # Also test paste echoing, by temporarily faking the writer
         w = StringIO()
         writer = _ip.IP.write
         _ip.IP.write = w.write
@@ -310,7 +311,7 @@ def test_paste():
         a = 100
         b = 200"""
         try:
-            paste(code,'-e')
+            paste(code,'')
             out = w.getvalue()
         finally:
             _ip.IP.write = writer