diff --git a/src/org/python/modules/posix/PosixModule.java b/src/org/python/modules/posix/PosixModule.java
--- a/src/org/python/modules/posix/PosixModule.java
+++ b/src/org/python/modules/posix/PosixModule.java
@@ -520,6 +520,35 @@
         }
     }
 
+    public static PyString __doc__mkfifo = new PyString(
+        "mkfifo(filename [, mode=0666])\n\n" +
+        "Create a FIFO (a POSIX named pipe).");
+    public static void mkfifo(PyObject path) {
+        String cmd = "mkfifo "+absolutePath(path);
+        try {
+            Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
+            if (0 != process.waitFor()) {
+                throw errorFromErrno(path);
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            System.out.println(cmd);
+            throw errorFromErrno(path);
+        }
+    }
+
+    public static void mkfifo(PyObject path, int mode) {
+        String cmd = "mkfifo -m "+Integer.toOctalString(mode)+" "+absolutePath(path);
+        try {
+            Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
+            if (0 != process.waitFor()) {
+                throw errorFromErrno(path);
+            }
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            System.out.println(cmd);
+            throw errorFromErrno(path);
+        }
+    }
+
     public static PyString __doc__open = new PyString(
         "open(filename, flag [, mode=0777]) -> fd\n\n" +
         "Open a file (for low level IO).\n\n" +