diff --git a/src/args.rs b/src/args.rs
index ed129439..e5320110 100644
--- a/src/args.rs
+++ b/src/args.rs
@@ -75,6 +75,11 @@ Less common options:
     -C, --context NUM
         Show NUM lines before and after each match.
 
+    --column
+        Show column numbers (1 based) in output. This only shows the column
+        numbers for the first match on each line. Note that this doesn't try
+        to account for Unicode. One byte is equal to one column.
+
     --context-separator ARG
         The string to use when separating non-continuous context lines. Escape
         sequences may be used. [default: --]
@@ -146,6 +151,7 @@ pub struct RawArgs {
     flag_after_context: usize,
     flag_before_context: usize,
     flag_color: String,
+    flag_column: bool,
     flag_context: usize,
     flag_context_separator: String,
     flag_count: bool,
@@ -186,6 +192,7 @@ pub struct Args {
     after_context: usize,
     before_context: usize,
     color: bool,
+    column: bool,
     context_separator: Vec<u8>,
     count: bool,
     eol: u8,
@@ -296,6 +303,7 @@ impl RawArgs {
             after_context: after_context,
             before_context: before_context,
             color: color,
+            column: self.flag_column,
             context_separator: unescape(&self.flag_context_separator),
             count: self.flag_count,
             eol: eol,
@@ -401,6 +409,7 @@ impl Args {
     /// writer given.
     pub fn printer<W: Send + io::Write>(&self, wtr: W) -> Printer<W> {
         let mut p = Printer::new(wtr, self.color)
+            .column(self.column)
             .context_separator(self.context_separator.clone())
             .eol(self.eol)
             .heading(self.heading)
diff --git a/src/printer.rs b/src/printer.rs
index be0f6f78..6204d5b5 100644
--- a/src/printer.rs
+++ b/src/printer.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ pub struct Printer<W> {
     wtr: Writer<W>,
     /// Whether anything has been printed to wtr yet.
     has_printed: bool,
+    /// Whether to show column numbers for the first match or not.
+    column: bool,
     /// The string to use to separate non-contiguous runs of context lines.
     context_separator: Vec<u8>,
     /// The end-of-line terminator used by the printer. In general, eols are
@@ -48,6 +50,7 @@ impl<W: Send + io::Write> Printer<W> {
         Printer {
             wtr: Writer::new(wtr, color),
             has_printed: false,
+            column: false,
             context_separator: "--".to_string().into_bytes(),
             eol: b'\n',
             heading: false,
@@ -57,6 +60,13 @@ impl<W: Send + io::Write> Printer<W> {
         }
     }
 
+    /// When set, column numbers will be printed for the first match on each
+    /// line.
+    pub fn column(mut self, yes: bool) -> Printer<W> {
+        self.column = yes;
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Set the context separator. The default is `--`.
     pub fn context_separator(mut self, sep: Vec<u8>) -> Printer<W> {
         self.context_separator = sep;
@@ -173,6 +183,11 @@ impl<W: Send + io::Write> Printer<W> {
         if let Some(line_number) = line_number {
             self.line_number(line_number, b':');
         }
+        if self.column {
+            let c = re.find(&buf[start..end]).map(|(s, _)| s + 1).unwrap_or(0);
+            self.write(c.to_string().as_bytes());
+            self.write(b":");
+        }
         if self.replace.is_some() {
             let line = re.replace_all(
                 &buf[start..end], &**self.replace.as_ref().unwrap());