diff --git a/apps/app_dial.c b/apps/app_dial.c
index 238ed66e9e..c1dd67038c 100644
--- a/apps/app_dial.c
+++ b/apps/app_dial.c
@@ -1874,7 +1874,11 @@ static int dial_exec_full(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data, struct ast_flags
 				if (gosub_args) {
 					res9 = pbx_exec(peer, theapp, gosub_args);
 					if (!res9) {
-						ast_pbx_run(peer);
+						struct ast_pbx_args args;
+						/* A struct initializer fails to compile for this case ... */
+						memset(&args, 0, sizeof(args));
+						args.no_hangup_chan = 1;
+						ast_pbx_run_args(peer, &args);
 					}
 					ast_free(gosub_args);
 					if (option_debug)
@@ -2224,7 +2228,7 @@ static int load_module(void)
 	if (!con)
 		ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "Dial virtual context 'app_dial_gosub_virtual_context' does not exist and unable to create\n");
 	else
-		ast_add_extension2(con, 1, "s", 1, NULL, NULL, "KeepAlive", ast_strdup(""), ast_free_ptr, "app_dial");
+		ast_add_extension2(con, 1, "s", 1, NULL, NULL, "NoOp", ast_strdup(""), ast_free_ptr, "app_dial");
 
 	res = ast_register_application(app, dial_exec, synopsis, descrip);
 	res |= ast_register_application(rapp, retrydial_exec, rsynopsis, rdescrip);
diff --git a/include/asterisk/pbx.h b/include/asterisk/pbx.h
index 68bf0ccee1..6e072bd6e7 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/pbx.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/pbx.h
@@ -262,6 +262,37 @@ enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_start(struct ast_channel *c);
  */
 enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c);
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Options for ast_pbx_run()
+ */
+struct ast_pbx_args {
+	union {
+		/*! Pad this out so that we have plenty of room to add options
+		 *  but still maintain ABI compatibility over time. */
+		uint64_t __padding;
+		struct {
+			/*! Do not hangup the channel when the PBX is complete. */
+			unsigned int no_hangup_chan:1;
+		};
+	};
+};
+
+/*!
+ * \brief Execute the PBX in the current thread
+ *
+ * \param c channel to run the pbx on
+ * \param args options for the pbx
+ *
+ * This executes the PBX on a given channel. It allocates a new
+ * PBX structure for the channel, and provides all PBX functionality.
+ * See ast_pbx_start for an asynchronous function to run the PBX in a
+ * new thread as opposed to the current one.
+ * 
+ * \retval Zero on success
+ * \retval non-zero on failure
+ */
+enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_run_args(struct ast_channel *c, struct ast_pbx_args *args);
+
 /*! 
  * \brief Add and extension to an extension context.  
  * 
diff --git a/main/pbx.c b/main/pbx.c
index 04146495da..763af44efe 100644
--- a/main/pbx.c
+++ b/main/pbx.c
@@ -288,7 +288,6 @@ static int pbx_builtin_background(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_wait(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_waitexten(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_incomplete(struct ast_channel *, void *);
-static int pbx_builtin_keepalive(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_resetcdr(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_setamaflags(struct ast_channel *, void *);
 static int pbx_builtin_ringing(struct ast_channel *, void *);
@@ -581,12 +580,6 @@ static struct pbx_builtin {
 	"in order to receive DTMF.\n"
 	},
 
-	{ "KeepAlive", pbx_builtin_keepalive,
-	"returns AST_PBX_KEEPALIVE value",
-	"  KeepAlive(): This application is chiefly meant for internal use with Gosubs.\n"
-	"Please do not run it alone from the dialplan!\n"
-	},
-
 	{ "NoOp", pbx_builtin_noop,
 	"Do Nothing (No Operation)",
 	"  NoOp(): This application does nothing. However, it is useful for debugging\n"
@@ -722,7 +715,6 @@ static struct pbx_builtin {
 	"               Optionally, specify the class for music on hold within parenthesis.\n"
 	"See Also: Playback(application), Background(application).\n"
 	},
-
 };
 
 static struct ast_context *contexts;
@@ -3662,7 +3654,8 @@ static int collect_digits(struct ast_channel *c, int waittime, char *buf, int bu
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int __ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c)
+static enum ast_pbx_result __ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c, 
+		struct ast_pbx_args *args)
 {
 	int found = 0;	/* set if we find at least one match */
 	int res = 0;
@@ -3875,11 +3868,18 @@ static int __ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c)
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	if (!found && !error)
+
+	if (!found && !error) {
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "Don't know what to do with '%s'\n", c->name);
-	if (res != AST_PBX_KEEPALIVE)
+	}
+
+	if (!args || !args->no_hangup_chan) {
 		ast_softhangup(c, c->hangupcause ? c->hangupcause : AST_CAUSE_NORMAL_CLEARING);
-	if ((res != AST_PBX_KEEPALIVE) && !ast_test_flag(c, AST_FLAG_BRIDGE_HANGUP_RUN) && ast_exists_extension(c, c->context, "h", 1, c->cid.cid_num)) {
+	}
+
+	if ((!args || !args->no_hangup_chan) &&
+			!ast_test_flag(c, AST_FLAG_BRIDGE_HANGUP_RUN) && 
+			ast_exists_extension(c, c->context, "h", 1, c->cid.cid_num)) {
 		set_ext_pri(c, "h", 1);
 		while ((res = ast_spawn_extension(c, c->context, c->exten, c->priority, c->cid.cid_num, &found, 1)) == 0) {
 			c->priority++;
@@ -3894,8 +3894,11 @@ static int __ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c)
 	ast_clear_flag(c, AST_FLAG_BRIDGE_HANGUP_RUN); /* from one round to the next, make sure this gets cleared */
 	pbx_destroy(c->pbx);
 	c->pbx = NULL;
-	if (res != AST_PBX_KEEPALIVE)
+
+	if (!args || !args->no_hangup_chan) {
 		ast_hangup(c);
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -3985,7 +3988,7 @@ static void *pbx_thread(void *data)
 	 */
 	struct ast_channel *c = data;
 
-	__ast_pbx_run(c);
+	__ast_pbx_run(c, NULL);
 	decrease_call_count();
 
 	pthread_exit(NULL);
@@ -4015,19 +4018,26 @@ enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_start(struct ast_channel *c)
 	return AST_PBX_SUCCESS;
 }
 
-enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c)
+enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_run_args(struct ast_channel *c, struct ast_pbx_args *args)
 {
 	enum ast_pbx_result res = AST_PBX_SUCCESS;
 
-	if (increase_call_count(c))
+	if (increase_call_count(c)) {
 		return AST_PBX_CALL_LIMIT;
+	}
+
+	res = __ast_pbx_run(c, args);
 
-	res = __ast_pbx_run(c);
 	decrease_call_count();
 
 	return res;
 }
 
+enum ast_pbx_result ast_pbx_run(struct ast_channel *c)
+{
+	return ast_pbx_run_args(c, NULL);
+}
+
 int ast_active_calls(void)
 {
 	return countcalls;
@@ -7776,11 +7786,6 @@ static int pbx_builtin_answer(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 	return __ast_answer(chan, delay);
 }
 
-static int pbx_builtin_keepalive(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
-{
-	return AST_PBX_KEEPALIVE;
-}
-
 static int pbx_builtin_incomplete(struct ast_channel *chan, void *data)
 {
 	char *options = data;