diff -urpN john-1.7.8-jumbo-6a/src/bench.c john-1.7.8-jumbo-6b/src/bench.c
--- john-1.7.8-jumbo-6a/src/bench.c	2011-08-03 16:19:13.000000000 +0000
+++ john-1.7.8-jumbo-6b/src/bench.c	2011-09-09 15:50:56.375000000 +0000
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ char *benchmark_format(struct fmt_main *
 	static void *binary = NULL;
 	static int binary_size = 0;
 	static char s_error[64];
+	char *TmpPW[1024];
+	int pw_mangled=0;
 	char *where;
 	struct fmt_tests *current;
 	int cond;
@@ -163,8 +165,29 @@ char *benchmark_format(struct fmt_main *
 	if (format->params.benchmark_length > 0) {
 		cond = (salts == 1) ? 1 : -1;
 		salts = 1;
-	} else
+	} else {
 		cond = 0;
+		if (format->params.benchmark_length < -950) {
+			/* smash the passwords */
+			struct fmt_tests *current = format->params.tests;
+			int i=0;
+			pw_mangled = 1;
+			while (current->ciphertext) {
+				if (current->plaintext[0]) {
+					TmpPW[i] = str_alloc_copy(current->plaintext);
+					TmpPW[i][0] ^= 5;
+					current->plaintext = TmpPW[i++];
+				}
+				++current;
+			}
+			/* -1001 turns into -1 and -1000 turns into 0 , and -999 turns into 1 for benchmark length */
+			format->params.benchmark_length += 1000;
+			if (format->params.benchmark_length > 0) {
+				cond = (salts == 1) ? 1 : -1;
+				salts = 1;
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	bench_set_keys(format, current, cond);
 
@@ -239,6 +262,21 @@ char *benchmark_format(struct fmt_main *
 	for (index = 0; index < 2; index++)
 		MEM_FREE(two_salts[index]);
 
+	/* unsmash the passwords */
+	if (pw_mangled) {
+		struct fmt_tests *current = format->params.tests;
+		int i=0;
+		while (current->ciphertext) {
+			if (current->plaintext[0]) {
+				TmpPW[i][0] ^= 5;
+				current->plaintext = TmpPW[i++];
+			}
+			++current;
+		}
+		/* -1001 turns into -1 and -1000 turns into 0 , and -999 turns into 1 for benchmark length */
+		format->params.benchmark_length -= 1000;
+	}
+
 	return event_abort ? "" : NULL;
 }