diff --git a/django/shortcuts/__init__.py b/django/shortcuts/__init__.py
index 00e97b1107..b7d69b5b0c 100644
--- a/django/shortcuts/__init__.py
+++ b/django/shortcuts/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,10 @@ def render(request, *args, **kwargs):
     django.template.loader.render_to_string() with the passed arguments.
     Uses a RequestContext by default.
     """
-    httpresponse_kwargs = {'mimetype': kwargs.pop('mimetype', None)}
+    httpresponse_kwargs = {
+        'content_type': kwargs.pop('content_type', None),
+        'status': kwargs.pop('status', None),
+    }
     kwargs['context_instance'] = kwargs.get('context_instance', RequestContext(request))
     return HttpResponse(loader.render_to_string(*args, **kwargs),
                         **httpresponse_kwargs)
diff --git a/docs/topics/http/shortcuts.txt b/docs/topics/http/shortcuts.txt
index 1d3e89ea83..ebe72324cb 100644
--- a/docs/topics/http/shortcuts.txt
+++ b/docs/topics/http/shortcuts.txt
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ introduce controlled coupling for convenience's sake.
 ``render``
 ==========
 
-.. function:: render(request, template[, dictionary][, context_instance][, mimetype])
+.. function:: render(request, template[, dictionary][, context_instance][, content_type][, status])
 
    .. versionadded:: 1.3
 
@@ -48,22 +48,25 @@ Optional arguments
     will be rendered with a ``RequestContext`` instance (filled with values from
     ``request`` and ```dictionary``).
 
-``mimetype``
+``content_type``
     The MIME type to use for the resulting document. Defaults to the value of
     the :setting:`DEFAULT_CONTENT_TYPE` setting.
 
+``status``
+    The status code for the response. Defaults to ``200``.
+
 Example
 -------
 
 The following example renders the template ``myapp/index.html`` with the
 MIME type ``application/xhtml+xml``::
 
-    from django.shortcuts import render_to_response
+    from django.shortcuts import render
 
     def my_view(request):
         # View code here...
-        return render_to_response('myapp/index.html', {"foo": "bar"},
-            mimetype="application/xhtml+xml")
+        return render(request, 'myapp/index.html', {"foo": "bar"},
+            content_type="application/xhtml+xml")
 
 This example is equivalent to::
 
@@ -75,7 +78,7 @@ This example is equivalent to::
         t = loader.get_template('myapp/template.html')
         c = RequestContext(request, {'foo': 'bar'})
         return HttpResponse(t.render(c),
-            mimetype="application/xhtml+xml")
+            content_type="application/xhtml+xml")
 
 
 ``render_to_response``
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/views/tests/shortcuts.py b/tests/regressiontests/views/tests/shortcuts.py
index fe1ff5b49e..3f260fee10 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/views/tests/shortcuts.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/views/tests/shortcuts.py
@@ -45,9 +45,14 @@ class ShortcutTests(TestCase):
         self.assertEquals(response.content, 'FOO.BAR..\n')
         self.assertEquals(response['Content-Type'], 'text/html; charset=utf-8')
 
-    def test_render_with_mimetype(self):
-        response = self.client.get('/views/shortcuts/render/mimetype/')
+    def test_render_with_content_type(self):
+        response = self.client.get('/views/shortcuts/render/content_type/')
         self.assertEquals(response.status_code, 200)
         self.assertEquals(response.content, 'FOO.BAR../path/to/static/media\n')
         self.assertEquals(response['Content-Type'], 'application/x-rendertest')
 
+    def test_render_with_status(self):
+        response = self.client.get('/views/shortcuts/render/status/')
+        self.assertEquals(response.status_code, 403)
+        self.assertEquals(response.content, 'FOO.BAR../path/to/static/media\n')
+
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/views/urls.py b/tests/regressiontests/views/urls.py
index b1ca432e9f..7cba5f647d 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/views/urls.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/views/urls.py
@@ -149,7 +149,8 @@ urlpatterns += patterns('regressiontests.views.views',
     (r'^shortcuts/render_to_response/mimetype/$', 'render_to_response_view_with_mimetype'),
     (r'^shortcuts/render/$', 'render_view'),
     (r'^shortcuts/render/base_context/$', 'render_view_with_base_context'),
-    (r'^shortcuts/render/mimetype/$', 'render_view_with_mimetype'),
+    (r'^shortcuts/render/content_type/$', 'render_view_with_content_type'),
+    (r'^shortcuts/render/status/$', 'render_view_with_status'),
 
 )
 
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/views/views.py b/tests/regressiontests/views/views.py
index 0705bd0188..ec017bd7fd 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/views/views.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/views/views.py
@@ -90,8 +90,14 @@ def render_view_with_base_context(request):
         'bar': 'BAR',
     }, context_instance=Context())
 
-def render_view_with_mimetype(request):
+def render_view_with_content_type(request):
     return render(request, 'debug/render_test.html', {
         'foo': 'FOO',
         'bar': 'BAR',
-    }, mimetype='application/x-rendertest')
+    }, content_type='application/x-rendertest')
+
+def render_view_with_status(request):
+    return render(request, 'debug/render_test.html', {
+        'foo': 'FOO',
+        'bar': 'BAR',
+    }, status=403)