diff --git a/ice-9/ChangeLog b/ice-9/ChangeLog
index 2f221608e..f79a1755b 100644
--- a/ice-9/ChangeLog
+++ b/ice-9/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+1998-11-21  Mikael Djurfeldt  <mdj@kenneth>
+
+	* boot-9.scm (the-environment): New special form: Returns an
+	object representing the current local evaluation environment.
+	This object can be used in `local-eval' and `defined?'.
+
 1998-11-13  Mikael Djurfeldt  <mdj@barbara.nada.kth.se>
 
 	* boot-9.scm (collect): New syntax.  Similar to begin but returns
diff --git a/ice-9/boot-9.scm b/ice-9/boot-9.scm
index f7c59c2a8..58ffd95d3 100644
--- a/ice-9/boot-9.scm
+++ b/ice-9/boot-9.scm
@@ -2737,6 +2737,13 @@
   `(with-fluids* (list ,@(map car bindings)) (list ,@(map cadr bindings))
 		 (lambda () ,@body)))
 
+;;; Environments
+
+(define the-environment
+  (procedure->syntax
+   (lambda (x e)
+     e)))
+
 
 
 ;;; {Macros}