diff --git a/prism/src/bin/prism.cygwin b/prism/src/bin/prism.cygwin
index 1caf7a3b..7c08507d 100644
--- a/prism/src/bin/prism.cygwin
+++ b/prism/src/bin/prism.cygwin
@@ -10,6 +10,18 @@ if [ "$PRISM_JAVA" = "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVA=java
 fi
 
+# If there is a -javamaxmem switch, use it for PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM
+ARGS=( "$@" )
+for ((i=0;i<${#ARGS[@]};i+=1)); do
+	if [ "${ARGS[$i]}" = "-javamaxmem" ]; then
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=${ARGS[$i+1]}
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
+		if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" = "" ]; then
+			echo; echo "Error: Invalid value for -javamaxmem switch."; exit
+		fi
+	fi
+done
+
 # Max memory for Java
 if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" != "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
diff --git a/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin32 b/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin32
index 716fdd9e..57039536 100755
--- a/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin32
+++ b/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin32
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ if [ "$PRISM_JAVA" = "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVA=java
 fi
 
+# If there is a -javamaxmem switch, use it for PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM
+ARGS=( "$@" )
+for ((i=0;i<${#ARGS[@]};i+=1)); do
+	if [ "${ARGS[$i]}" = "-javamaxmem" ]; then
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=${ARGS[$i+1]}
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
+		if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" = "" ]; then
+			echo; echo "Error: Invalid value for -javamaxmem switch."; exit
+		fi
+	fi
+done
+
 # Max memory for Java
 if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" != "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
diff --git a/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin64 b/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin64
index 11d2f677..61f7faf7 100755
--- a/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin64
+++ b/prism/src/bin/prism.darwin64
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ if [ "$PRISM_JAVA" = "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVA=java
 fi
 
+# If there is a -javamaxmem switch, use it for PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM
+ARGS=( "$@" )
+for ((i=0;i<${#ARGS[@]};i+=1)); do
+	if [ "${ARGS[$i]}" = "-javamaxmem" ]; then
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=${ARGS[$i+1]}
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
+		if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" = "" ]; then
+			echo; echo "Error: Invalid value for -javamaxmem switch."; exit
+		fi
+	fi
+done
+
 # Max memory for Java
 if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" != "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
diff --git a/prism/src/bin/prism.linux b/prism/src/bin/prism.linux
index 1b930b06..7f10c165 100755
--- a/prism/src/bin/prism.linux
+++ b/prism/src/bin/prism.linux
@@ -18,6 +18,18 @@ if [ "$PRISM_JAVA" = "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVA=java
 fi
 
+# If there is a -javamaxmem switch, use it for PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM
+ARGS=( "$@" )
+for ((i=0;i<${#ARGS[@]};i+=1)); do
+	if [ "${ARGS[$i]}" = "-javamaxmem" ]; then
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=${ARGS[$i+1]}
+		PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
+		if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" = "" ]; then
+			echo; echo "Error: Invalid value for -javamaxmem switch."; exit
+		fi
+	fi
+done
+
 # Max memory for Java
 if [ "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" != "" ]; then
 	PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM=`echo "$PRISM_JAVAMAXMEM" | awk /^[0-9]+[kmg]?$/`
diff --git a/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java b/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
index b3b204c7..8d381dab 100644
--- a/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
+++ b/prism/src/prism/PrismCL.java
@@ -951,6 +951,11 @@ public class PrismCL implements PrismModelListener
 					}
 					exit();
 				}
+				// java max mem
+				else if (sw.equals("javamaxmem")) {
+					i++;
+					// ignore - this is dealt with before java is launched
+				}
 				// print version
 				else if (sw.equals("version")) {
 					printVersion();