diff --git a/mercurial/commands.py b/mercurial/commands.py
--- a/mercurial/commands.py
+++ b/mercurial/commands.py
@@ -3158,6 +3158,7 @@ globalopts = [
     ('', 'config', [], _('set/override config option')),
     ('', 'debug', None, _('enable debugging output')),
     ('', 'debugger', None, _('start debugger')),
+    ('', 'lsprof', None, _('print improved command execution profile')),
     ('', 'traceback', None, _('print traceback on exception')),
     ('', 'time', None, _('time how long the command takes')),
     ('', 'profile', None, _('print command execution profile')),
@@ -3385,6 +3386,22 @@ def dispatch(args):
                         stats.strip_dirs()
                         stats.sort_stats('time', 'calls')
                         stats.print_stats(40)
+                elif options['lsprof']:
+                    try:
+                        from mercurial import lsprof
+                    except ImportError:
+                        raise util.Abort(_(
+                            'lsprof not available - install from '
+                            'http://codespeak.net/svn/user/arigo/hack/misc/lsprof/'))
+                    p = lsprof.Profiler()
+                    p.enable(subcalls=True)
+                    try:
+                        return d()
+                    finally:
+                        p.disable()
+                        stats = lsprof.Stats(p.getstats())
+                        stats.sort()
+                        stats.pprint(top=10, file=sys.stderr, climit=5)
                 else:
                     return d()
             finally:
diff --git a/mercurial/lsprof.py b/mercurial/lsprof.py
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mercurial/lsprof.py
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+# this is copied from the lsprof distro because somehow
+# it is not installed by distutils
+#
+# small modifications made
+
+import sys
+from _lsprof import Profiler, profiler_entry, profiler_subentry
+
+__all__ = ['profile', 'Stats']
+
+def profile(f, *args, **kwds):
+    """XXX docstring"""
+    p = Profiler()
+    p.enable(subcalls=True)
+    try:
+        ret = f(*args, **kwds)
+    finally:
+        p.disable()
+    return ret, Stats(p.getstats())
+
+
+class Stats(object):
+    """XXX docstring"""
+
+    def __init__(self, data):
+        self.data = data
+
+    def sort(self, crit="inlinetime"):
+        """XXX docstring"""
+        if crit not in profiler_entry.__dict__:
+            raise ValueError, "Can't sort by %s" % crit
+        self.data.sort(lambda b, a: cmp(getattr(a, crit),
+                                        getattr(b, crit)))
+        for e in self.data:
+            if e.calls:
+                e.calls.sort(lambda b, a: cmp(getattr(a, crit),
+                                              getattr(b, crit)))
+
+    def pprint(self, top=None, file=None, limit=None, climit=None):
+        """XXX docstring"""
+        if file is None:
+            file = sys.stdout
+        d = self.data
+        if top is not None:
+            d = d[:top]
+        cols = "% 12s %11.4f %11.4f   %s\n"
+        hcols = "% 12s %12s %12s %s\n"
+        cols2 = "+%12s %11.4f %11.4f +  %s\n"
+        file.write(hcols % ("CallCount", "Total(s)",
+                            "Inline(s)", "module:lineno(function)"))
+        count = 0
+        for e in d:
+            file.write(cols % (e.callcount, e.totaltime,
+                               e.inlinetime, label(e.code)))
+            count += 1
+            if limit is not None and count == limit:
+                return
+            ccount = 0
+            if e.calls:
+                for se in e.calls:
+                    file.write(cols % ("+%s" % se.callcount,
+                                       se.totaltime, se.inlinetime,
+                                       "+%s" % label(se.code)))
+                    count += 1
+                    ccount += 1
+                    if limit is not None and count == limit:
+                        return
+                    if climit is not None and ccount == climit:
+                        break
+
+    def freeze(self):
+        """Replace all references to code objects with string
+        descriptions; this makes it possible to pickle the instance."""
+
+        # this code is probably rather ickier than it needs to be!
+        for i in range(len(self.data)):
+            e = self.data[i]
+            if not isinstance(e.code, str):
+                self.data[i] = type(e)((label(e.code),) + e[1:])
+                if e.calls:
+                    for j in range(len(e.calls)):
+                        se = e.calls[j]
+                        if not isinstance(se.code, str):
+                            e.calls[j] = type(se)((label(se.code),) + se[1:])
+
+_fn2mod = {}
+
+def label(code):
+    if isinstance(code, str):
+        return code
+    try:
+        mname = _fn2mod[code.co_filename]
+    except KeyError:
+        for k, v in sys.modules.iteritems():
+            if v is None:
+                continue
+            if not hasattr(v, '__file__'):
+                continue
+            if not isinstance(v.__file__, str):
+                continue
+            if v.__file__.startswith(code.co_filename):
+                mname = _fn2mod[code.co_filename] = k
+                break
+        else:
+            mname = _fn2mod[code.co_filename] = '<%s>'%code.co_filename
+
+    return '%s:%d(%s)' % (mname, code.co_firstlineno, code.co_name)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import os
+    sys.argv = sys.argv[1:]
+    if not sys.argv:
+        print >> sys.stderr, "usage: lsprof.py <script> <arguments...>"
+        sys.exit(2)
+    sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0])))
+    stats = profile(execfile, sys.argv[0], globals(), locals())
+    stats.sort()
+    stats.pprint()