diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_line_symbolizer.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_line_symbolizer.cpp
index f1ac4c419..e7c9a58be 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_line_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_line_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -42,12 +42,19 @@ struct line_symbolizer_pickle_suite : boost::python::pickle_suite
 void export_line_symbolizer()
 {
     using namespace boost::python;
-
+    enumeration_<line_rasterizer_e>("line_rasterizer")
+        .value("FULL",RASTERIZER_FULL)
+        .value("FAST",RASTERIZER_FAST)
+        ;
     class_<line_symbolizer>("LineSymbolizer",
                             init<>("Default LineSymbolizer - 1px solid black"))
         .def(init<stroke const&>("TODO"))
         .def(init<color const& ,float>())
         .def_pickle(line_symbolizer_pickle_suite())
+        .add_property("rasterizer",
+                      &line_symbolizer::get_rasterizer,
+                      &line_symbolizer::set_rasterizer,
+                      "Set/get the rasterization method of the line of the point")
         .add_property("stroke",make_function
                       (&line_symbolizer::get_stroke,
                        return_value_policy<copy_const_reference>()),
diff --git a/include/mapnik/agg_helpers.hpp b/include/mapnik/agg_helpers.hpp
index f02eea19a..938e219bb 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/agg_helpers.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/agg_helpers.hpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "agg_scanline_p.h"
 #include "agg_renderer_outline_aa.h"
 #include "agg_renderer_scanline.h"
+#include "agg_rasterizer_outline_aa.h"
 
 namespace mapnik {
 
@@ -94,6 +95,40 @@ void set_join_caps(Stroke const& stroke_, PathType & stroke)
 }
 
 
+template <typename Stroke,typename Rasterizer>
+void set_join_caps_aa(Stroke const& stroke_, Rasterizer & ras)
+{
+
+    line_join_e join=stroke_.get_line_join();
+    switch (join)
+    {
+    case MITER_JOIN:
+        ras.line_join(agg::outline_miter_accurate_join);
+        break;
+    case MITER_REVERT_JOIN:
+        ras.line_join(agg::outline_no_join);
+        break;
+    case ROUND_JOIN:
+        ras.line_join(agg::outline_round_join);
+        break;
+    default:
+        ras.line_join(agg::outline_no_join);
+    }
+
+    line_cap_e cap=stroke_.get_line_cap();
+    switch (cap)
+    {
+    case BUTT_CAP:
+        ras.round_cap(false);
+        break;
+    case SQUARE_CAP:
+        ras.round_cap(false);
+        break;
+    default:
+        ras.round_cap(true);
+    }
+}
+
 template <typename PixelFormat>
 struct renderer_scanline_solid : private boost::noncopyable
 {
diff --git a/include/mapnik/line_symbolizer.hpp b/include/mapnik/line_symbolizer.hpp
index 0c089c937..f0cd81d36 100644
--- a/include/mapnik/line_symbolizer.hpp
+++ b/include/mapnik/line_symbolizer.hpp
@@ -31,24 +31,36 @@
 namespace mapnik
 {
 
+enum line_rasterizer_enum {
+    RASTERIZER_FULL,           // agg::renderer_scanline_aa_solid
+    RASTERIZER_FAST,           // agg::rasterizer_outline_aa, twice as fast but only good for thin lines
+    line_rasterizer_enum_MAX
+};
+
+DEFINE_ENUM( line_rasterizer_e, line_rasterizer_enum );
+
+
 struct MAPNIK_DECL line_symbolizer : public symbolizer_base
 {
     explicit line_symbolizer()
         : symbolizer_base(),
         stroke_(),
-        offset_(0.0)
+        offset_(0.0),
+        rasterizer_p_(RASTERIZER_FULL)
         {}
     
     line_symbolizer(stroke const& stroke)
         : symbolizer_base(),
         stroke_(stroke),
-        offset_(0.0) 
+        offset_(0.0),
+        rasterizer_p_(RASTERIZER_FULL)
         {}
 
     line_symbolizer(color const& pen,float width=1.0)
         : symbolizer_base(),
         stroke_(pen,width),
-        offset_(0.0)
+        offset_(0.0),
+        rasterizer_p_(RASTERIZER_FULL)
         {}
 
     stroke const& get_stroke() const
@@ -70,10 +82,21 @@ struct MAPNIK_DECL line_symbolizer : public symbolizer_base
     {
         return offset_;
     }
-    
+
+    void set_rasterizer(line_rasterizer_e rasterizer_p)
+    {
+        rasterizer_p_ = rasterizer_p;
+    }
+
+    line_rasterizer_e get_rasterizer() const
+    {
+        return rasterizer_p_;
+    }
+
 private:
     stroke stroke_;
     double offset_;
+    line_rasterizer_e rasterizer_p_;
 };
 }
 
diff --git a/src/agg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp b/src/agg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
index 59b0d9ba4..32924a998 100644
--- a/src/agg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/agg/process_line_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -63,45 +63,81 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(line_symbolizer const& sym,
     
     ras_ptr->reset();
     set_gamma_method(stroke_, ras_ptr);
-    
-    typedef boost::mpl::vector<clip_line_tag,transform_tag, offset_transform_tag, affine_transform_tag, smooth_tag, dash_tag, stroke_tag> conv_types;
-    vertex_converter<box2d<double>,rasterizer,line_symbolizer, proj_transform, CoordTransform,conv_types>
-        converter(query_extent_,*ras_ptr,sym,t_,prj_trans,scale_factor_);
-
-    if (sym.clip()) converter.set<clip_line_tag>(); // optional clip (default: true)
-    converter.set<transform_tag>(); // always transform
-
-    if (fabs(sym.offset()) > 0.0) converter.set<offset_transform_tag>(); // parallel offset
-    converter.set<affine_transform_tag>(); // optional affine transform
-    if (sym.smooth() > 0.0) converter.set<smooth_tag>(); // optional smooth converter
-    if (stroke_.has_dash()) converter.set<dash_tag>();
-    converter.set<stroke_tag>(); //always stroke
-
-    BOOST_FOREACH( geometry_type & geom, feature->paths())
-    {
-        if (geom.num_points() > 1)
-        {
-            converter.apply(geom);
-        }
-    }
 
     agg::rendering_buffer buf(current_buffer_->raw_data(),width_,height_, width_ * 4);
 
-    
     typedef agg::rgba8 color_type;
     typedef agg::order_rgba order_type;
     typedef agg::pixel32_type pixel_type;
     typedef agg::comp_op_adaptor_rgba<color_type, order_type> blender_type; // comp blender
     typedef agg::pixfmt_custom_blend_rgba<blender_type, agg::rendering_buffer> pixfmt_comp_type;
     typedef agg::renderer_base<pixfmt_comp_type> renderer_base;
-    typedef agg::renderer_scanline_aa_solid<renderer_base> renderer_type;
+
     pixfmt_comp_type pixf(buf);
-    pixf.comp_op(static_cast<agg::comp_op_e>(sym.comp_op()));
     renderer_base renb(pixf);
-    renderer_type ren(renb);
-    ren.color(agg::rgba8(r, g, b, int(a * stroke_.get_opacity())));
-    agg::scanline_u8 sl;
-    agg::render_scanlines(*ras_ptr, sl, ren);
+    
+    if (sym.get_rasterizer() == RASTERIZER_FAST)
+    {
+        typedef agg::renderer_outline_aa<renderer_base> renderer_type;
+        typedef agg::rasterizer_outline_aa<renderer_type> rasterizer_type;
+        // need to reduce width by half to match standard rasterizer look
+        double scaled = scale_factor_ * .5;
+        agg::line_profile_aa profile(stroke_.get_width() * scaled, agg::gamma_power(stroke_.get_gamma()));
+        renderer_type ren(renb, profile);
+        ren.color(agg::rgba8(r, g, b, int(a*stroke_.get_opacity())));
+        rasterizer_type ras(ren);
+        set_join_caps_aa(stroke_,ras);
+
+        typedef boost::mpl::vector<clip_line_tag,transform_tag, offset_transform_tag, affine_transform_tag, smooth_tag, dash_tag, stroke_tag> conv_types;
+        vertex_converter<box2d<double>,rasterizer_type,line_symbolizer, proj_transform, CoordTransform,conv_types>
+            converter(query_extent_,ras,sym,t_,prj_trans,scaled);
+
+        if (sym.clip()) converter.set<clip_line_tag>(); // optional clip (default: true)
+        converter.set<transform_tag>(); // always transform
+        if (fabs(sym.offset()) > 0.0) converter.set<offset_transform_tag>(); // parallel offset
+        converter.set<affine_transform_tag>(); // optional affine transform
+        if (sym.smooth() > 0.0) converter.set<smooth_tag>(); // optional smooth converter
+        if (stroke_.has_dash()) converter.set<dash_tag>();
+        converter.set<stroke_tag>(); //always stroke
+
+        BOOST_FOREACH( geometry_type & geom, feature->paths())
+        {
+            if (geom.num_points() > 1)
+            {
+                converter.apply(geom);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        typedef boost::mpl::vector<clip_line_tag,transform_tag, offset_transform_tag, affine_transform_tag, smooth_tag, dash_tag, stroke_tag> conv_types;
+        vertex_converter<box2d<double>,rasterizer,line_symbolizer, proj_transform, CoordTransform,conv_types>
+            converter(query_extent_,*ras_ptr,sym,t_,prj_trans,scale_factor_);
+
+        if (sym.clip()) converter.set<clip_line_tag>(); // optional clip (default: true)
+        converter.set<transform_tag>(); // always transform
+        if (fabs(sym.offset()) > 0.0) converter.set<offset_transform_tag>(); // parallel offset
+        converter.set<affine_transform_tag>(); // optional affine transform
+        if (sym.smooth() > 0.0) converter.set<smooth_tag>(); // optional smooth converter
+        if (stroke_.has_dash()) converter.set<dash_tag>();
+        converter.set<stroke_tag>(); //always stroke
+
+        BOOST_FOREACH( geometry_type & geom, feature->paths())
+        {
+            if (geom.num_points() > 1)
+            {
+                converter.apply(geom);
+            }
+        }
+
+        typedef agg::renderer_scanline_aa_solid<renderer_base> renderer_type;
+        pixf.comp_op(static_cast<agg::comp_op_e>(sym.comp_op()));
+        renderer_base renb(pixf);
+        renderer_type ren(renb);
+        ren.color(agg::rgba8(r, g, b, int(a * stroke_.get_opacity())));
+        agg::scanline_u8 sl;
+        agg::render_scanlines(*ras_ptr, sl, ren);
+    }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/line_symbolizer.cpp b/src/line_symbolizer.cpp
index 97cc2cc1a..6f71f8b7a 100644
--- a/src/line_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/line_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,13 @@
 
 namespace mapnik
 {
-//
+
+static const char * line_rasterizer_strings[] = {
+    "full",
+    "fast",
+    ""
+};
+IMPLEMENT_ENUM( line_rasterizer_e, line_rasterizer_strings )
+
 }
 
diff --git a/src/load_map.cpp b/src/load_map.cpp
index 6d03e7f17..9b7ef148f 100644
--- a/src/load_map.cpp
+++ b/src/load_map.cpp
@@ -1430,7 +1430,10 @@ void map_parser::parse_line_symbolizer(rule & rule, xml_node const & sym)
         // offset value
         optional<double> offset = sym.get_opt_attr<double>("offset");
         if (offset) symbol.set_offset(*offset);
-        
+
+        line_rasterizer_e rasterizer = sym.get_attr<line_rasterizer_e>("rasterizer", RASTERIZER_FULL);
+        symbol.set_rasterizer(rasterizer);
+
         // meta-writer
         parse_symbolizer_base(symbol, sym);
         rule.append(symbol);
diff --git a/src/save_map.cpp b/src/save_map.cpp
index 1f328a53c..6b30aa03d 100644
--- a/src/save_map.cpp
+++ b/src/save_map.cpp
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ public:
         const stroke & strk =  sym.get_stroke();
         add_stroke_attributes(sym_node, strk);
         add_metawriter_attributes(sym_node, sym);
+
+        line_symbolizer dfl;
+        if ( sym.get_rasterizer() != dfl.get_rasterizer() || explicit_defaults_ )
+        {
+            set_attr( sym_node, "rasterizer", sym.get_rasterizer() );
+        }
     }
 
     void operator () ( line_pattern_symbolizer const& sym )
diff --git a/src/xml_tree.cpp b/src/xml_tree.cpp
index 8769dc941..4d4593681 100644
--- a/src/xml_tree.cpp
+++ b/src/xml_tree.cpp
@@ -475,6 +475,7 @@ compile_get_attr(point_placement_e);
 compile_get_attr(marker_placement_e);
 compile_get_attr(marker_type_e);
 compile_get_attr(pattern_alignment_e);
+compile_get_attr(line_rasterizer_e);
 compile_get_attr(colorizer_mode);
 compile_get_attr(double);
 compile_get_value(int);