diff --git a/src/brackets.js b/src/brackets.js
index 1f7e4895b97..598cdf9b111 100644
--- a/src/brackets.js
+++ b/src/brackets.js
@@ -317,7 +317,8 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
                     $target.is("input[type=number]") ||
                     $target.is("input[type=password]") ||
                     $target.is("input:not([type])") || // input with no type attribute defaults to text
-                    $target.is("textarea");
+                    $target.is("textarea") ||
+                    $target.is("select");
     
             if (!isTextField) {
                 e.preventDefault();
diff --git a/src/document/Document.js b/src/document/Document.js
index 810523c7de7..25fca049db0 100644
--- a/src/document/Document.js
+++ b/src/document/Document.js
@@ -134,6 +134,13 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
      * @type {FileUtils.LINE_ENDINGS_CRLF|FileUtils.LINE_ENDINGS_LF}
      */
     Document.prototype._lineEndings = null;
+    
+    /**
+     * Whether this document's language was forced (manually selected) or not.
+     * If true, the language will not change when _updateLanguage() is called.
+     * @type {boolean}
+     */
+    Document.prototype._languageWasForced = false;
 
     /** Add a ref to keep this Document alive */
     Document.prototype.addRef = function () {
@@ -423,14 +430,35 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
     Document.prototype.getLanguage = function () {
         return this.language;
     };
+    
+    /**
+     * Overrides the default language of this document and sets it to the given
+     * language.
+     * @param {?Language} language The language to be set for this document; if
+     * null, the language will be set back to the default.
+     */
+    Document.prototype.forceLanguage = function (language) {
+        if (language) {
+            var oldLanguage = this.language;
+            this._languageWasForced = true;
+            this.language = language;
+            $(this).triggerHandler("languageChanged", [oldLanguage, this.language]);
+        } else { // if language was null, reset to default language
+            this._languageWasForced = false;
+            this._updateLanguage();
+        }
+    };
 
     /**
-     * Updates the language according to the file extension
+     * Updates the language according to the file extension. If the current
+     * language was forced (set manually by user), don't change it.
      */
     Document.prototype._updateLanguage = function () {
+        if (this._languageWasForced) {
+            return;
+        }
         var oldLanguage = this.language;
         this.language = LanguageManager.getLanguageForPath(this.file.fullPath);
-        
         if (oldLanguage && oldLanguage !== this.language) {
             $(this).triggerHandler("languageChanged", [oldLanguage, this.language]);
         }
diff --git a/src/editor/EditorStatusBar.js b/src/editor/EditorStatusBar.js
index 176086963a6..f02e7ba3fca 100644
--- a/src/editor/EditorStatusBar.js
+++ b/src/editor/EditorStatusBar.js
@@ -32,16 +32,20 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
     "use strict";
     
     // Load dependent modules
-    var AppInit             = require("utils/AppInit"),
-        EditorManager       = require("editor/EditorManager"),
-        Editor              = require("editor/Editor").Editor,
-        KeyEvent            = require("utils/KeyEvent"),
-        StatusBar           = require("widgets/StatusBar"),
-        Strings             = require("strings"),
-        StringUtils         = require("utils/StringUtils");
+    var AppInit                      = require("utils/AppInit"),
+        CollectionUtils              = require("utils/CollectionUtils"),
+        DefaultDialogs               = require("widgets/DefaultDialogs"),
+        Dialogs                      = require("widgets/Dialogs"),
+        EditorManager                = require("editor/EditorManager"),
+        Editor                       = require("editor/Editor").Editor,
+        KeyEvent                     = require("utils/KeyEvent"),
+        LanguageManager              = require("language/LanguageManager"),
+        StatusBar                    = require("widgets/StatusBar"),
+        Strings                      = require("strings"),
+        StringUtils                  = require("utils/StringUtils");
     
     /* StatusBar indicators */
-    var $languageInfo,
+    var $languageSelect,
         $cursorInfo,
         $fileInfo,
         $indentType,
@@ -50,7 +54,11 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
     
     
     function _updateLanguageInfo(editor) {
-        $languageInfo.text(editor.document.getLanguage().getName());
+        var lang = editor.document.getLanguage();
+        $languageSelect.empty();
+        $("<option />").val(lang.getId()).text(lang.getName())
+            .appendTo($languageSelect);
+        $languageSelect.val(lang.getId());
     }
     
     function _updateFileInfo(editor) {
@@ -147,8 +155,52 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         }
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Setup and populate a custom <select> dropdown for switching the language
+     * mode for the given document.
+     * @param {!Document} document The document for which to switch the language
+     */
+    function _setupLanguageSelect(document) {
+        // Lazy load the languages in the dropdown to avoid having to receive
+        // updates from LanguageManager (not to mention unnecessary processing
+        // since most users will not need to manually set the language).
+        var languages = LanguageManager.getLanguages();
+        
+        // lock width of <select>, else it changes when it's populated
+        $languageSelect.css("width", $languageSelect.css("width"));
+        
+        // fill the dropbown using the languages list
+        $languageSelect.empty();
+        CollectionUtils.forEach(languages, function (lang) {
+            $("<option />").val(lang.getId()).text(lang.getName())
+                .appendTo($languageSelect);
+        });
+        $languageSelect.val(document.getLanguage().getId());
+        
+        // sort dropdown alphabetically
+        $languageSelect.html($languageSelect.find("option").sort(
+            function (a, b) {
+                return a.text.toLowerCase().localeCompare(b.text.toLowerCase());
+            }
+        ));
+        
+        // set change handler for select box
+        $languageSelect.on("change", function () {
+            var selectedLang = LanguageManager.getLanguage($(this).val()),
+                defaultLang = LanguageManager.getLanguageForPath(
+                    document.file.fullPath
+                );
+            // if default language selected, don't "force"" it
+            // (passing in null will reset the force flag)
+            document.forceLanguage(
+                selectedLang === defaultLang ? null : selectedLang
+            );
+            $languageSelect.css("width", "auto"); // unlock width
+        });
+    }
+    
     function _init() {
-        $languageInfo       = $("#status-language");
+        $languageSelect     = $("#language-select");
         $cursorInfo         = $("#status-cursor");
         $fileInfo           = $("#status-file");
         $indentType         = $("#indent-type");
@@ -180,7 +232,13 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
             });
 
         $indentWidthInput.focus(function () { $indentWidthInput.select(); });
-
+        
+        // When language select clicked, set up dropdown.
+        // Using mousedown because the dropdown opens before mouseup.
+        $languageSelect.on("mousedown", function () {
+            _setupLanguageSelect(EditorManager.getActiveEditor().document);
+        });
+        
         _onActiveEditorChange(null, EditorManager.getActiveEditor(), null);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/language/LanguageManager.js b/src/language/LanguageManager.js
index dc9c7605134..5a388e55097 100644
--- a/src/language/LanguageManager.js
+++ b/src/language/LanguageManager.js
@@ -238,6 +238,15 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
         return language || _fallbackLanguage;
     }
     
+    /**
+     * Returns all of the languages currently defined in the LanguageManager.
+     * @return {Object.<string, Language>} A map containing all of the
+     * languages currently defined.
+     */
+    function getLanguages() {
+        return $.extend({}, _languages); // copy to prevent modification
+    }
+    
     /**
      * Resolves a CodeMirror mode to a Language object.
      * @param {!string} mode CodeMirror mode
@@ -754,4 +763,5 @@ define(function (require, exports, module) {
     exports.defineLanguage          = defineLanguage;
     exports.getLanguage             = getLanguage;
     exports.getLanguageForPath      = getLanguageForPath;
+    exports.getLanguages            = getLanguages;
 });
diff --git a/src/styles/brackets.less b/src/styles/brackets.less
index 9e4f4de0378..3ece32d374b 100644
--- a/src/styles/brackets.less
+++ b/src/styles/brackets.less
@@ -166,6 +166,33 @@ a, img {
     #status-language {
         border-right: 1px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Custom <select> styling currently only being used for language selection
+     * but could be reused elsewhere.
+     * (Here's a good intro to custom form fields: http://goo.gl/T4EPg)
+     */
+    select.status-bar-select {
+        -webkit-appearance: none;
+        -webkit-font-smoothing: inherit;
+        background: url("images/select-triangles.svg") no-repeat right center;
+        border: 0;
+        // have to explicitly inherit some styles to override <select> defaults
+        color: inherit;
+        font-family: inherit;
+        font-size: inherit;
+        height: inherit;
+        line-height: inherit;
+        margin: 0;
+        padding: 0 12px 0 0;
+        width: auto;
+        &:focus {
+            outline: 0;
+        }
+        &:hover {
+            text-decoration: underline;
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 @-webkit-keyframes spinner-sprites-12 {
diff --git a/src/styles/images/select-triangles.svg b/src/styles/images/select-triangles.svg
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..751ca6e998f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/styles/images/select-triangles.svg
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
+<!-- Generator: Adobe Illustrator 17.0.0, SVG Export Plug-In . SVG Version: 6.00 Build 0)  -->
+<!DOCTYPE svg PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD SVG 1.1//EN" "http://www.w3.org/Graphics/SVG/1.1/DTD/svg11.dtd">
+<svg version="1.1" id="Layer_1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" x="0px" y="0px"
+	 width="7px" height="11px" viewBox="0 0 7 11" enable-background="new 0 0 7 11" xml:space="preserve">
+<g>
+	<g>
+		<path fill="#878787" d="M3.565-0.02L0.009,3.981H7L3.565-0.02z M3.565,11L7,7H0.009L3.565,11z"/>
+	</g>
+</g>
+</svg>
diff --git a/src/widgets/StatusBar.html b/src/widgets/StatusBar.html
index c54cb4b4843..06787e54852 100644
--- a/src/widgets/StatusBar.html
+++ b/src/widgets/StatusBar.html
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
             <div id="indent-width-label"></div>
             <input id="indent-width-input" type="number" min="1" max="10" maxlength="2" size="2" class="hidden">
         </div>        
-        <div id="status-language"></div>
+        <div id="status-language">
+            <select id="language-select" class="status-bar-select"></select>
+        </div>
         <div class="spinner"></div>
     </div>
 </div>
\ No newline at end of file