diff --git a/_pytest/debugging.py b/_pytest/debugging.py
index 97a625369..a30ca4753 100644
--- a/_pytest/debugging.py
+++ b/_pytest/debugging.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def pytest_addoption(parser):
     group = parser.getgroup("general")
     group._addoption(
         '--pdb', dest="usepdb", action="store_true",
-        help="start the interactive Python debugger on errors.")
+        help="start the interactive Python debugger on errors or KeyboardInterrupt.")
     group._addoption(
         '--pdbcls', dest="usepdb_cls", metavar="modulename:classname",
         help="start a custom interactive Python debugger on errors. "
diff --git a/_pytest/runner.py b/_pytest/runner.py
index f62d34df2..6df558a7f 100644
--- a/_pytest/runner.py
+++ b/_pytest/runner.py
@@ -176,7 +176,8 @@ def check_interactive_exception(call, report):
 def call_runtest_hook(item, when, **kwds):
     hookname = "pytest_runtest_" + when
     ihook = getattr(item.ihook, hookname)
-    return CallInfo(lambda: ihook(item=item, **kwds), when=when)
+    return CallInfo(lambda: ihook(item=item, **kwds), when=when,
+                    treat_keyboard_interrupt_as_exception=item.config.getvalue("usepdb"))
 
 
 class CallInfo(object):
@@ -184,7 +185,7 @@ class CallInfo(object):
     #: None or ExceptionInfo object.
     excinfo = None
 
-    def __init__(self, func, when):
+    def __init__(self, func, when, treat_keyboard_interrupt_as_exception=False):
         #: context of invocation: one of "setup", "call",
         #: "teardown", "memocollect"
         self.when = when
@@ -192,8 +193,11 @@ class CallInfo(object):
         try:
             self.result = func()
         except KeyboardInterrupt:
-            self.stop = time()
-            raise
+            if treat_keyboard_interrupt_as_exception:
+                self.excinfo = ExceptionInfo()
+            else:
+                self.stop = time()
+                raise
         except:  # noqa
             self.excinfo = ExceptionInfo()
         self.stop = time()
diff --git a/changelog/3299.feature.rst b/changelog/3299.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5fe591e44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/3299.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The ``--pdb`` option now causes KeyboardInterrupt to enter the debugger, instead of stopping the test session.
+On python 2.7, hitting CTRL+C again exits the debugger. On python 3.2 and higher, use CTRL+D.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/doc/en/usage.rst b/doc/en/usage.rst
index 3d5b0536e..72b2eedc9 100644
--- a/doc/en/usage.rst
+++ b/doc/en/usage.rst
@@ -152,9 +152,9 @@ allows one to drop into the PDB_ prompt via a command line option::
 
     pytest --pdb
 
-This will invoke the Python debugger on every failure.  Often you might
-only want to do this for the first failing test to understand a certain
-failure situation::
+This will invoke the Python debugger on every failure (or KeyboardInterrupt).
+Often you might only want to do this for the first failing test to understand
+a certain failure situation::
 
     pytest -x --pdb   # drop to PDB on first failure, then end test session
     pytest --pdb --maxfail=3  # drop to PDB for first three failures
diff --git a/testing/test_pdb.py b/testing/test_pdb.py
index 85817f79b..29277caf1 100644
--- a/testing/test_pdb.py
+++ b/testing/test_pdb.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 import sys
 import platform
 import os
+import signal
 
 import _pytest._code
 from _pytest.debugging import SUPPORTS_BREAKPOINT_BUILTIN
@@ -114,6 +115,14 @@ class TestPDB(object):
         assert rep.failed
         assert len(pdblist) == 0
 
+    def test_pdb_on_KeyboardInterrupt(self, testdir, pdblist):
+        rep = runpdb_and_get_report(testdir, """
+            def test_func():
+                raise KeyboardInterrupt
+        """)
+        assert rep.failed
+        assert len(pdblist) == 1
+
     def test_pdb_interaction(self, testdir):
         p1 = testdir.makepyfile("""
             def test_1():