diff --git a/cpdf.ml b/cpdf.ml
index a1de133..532b55c 100644
--- a/cpdf.ml
+++ b/cpdf.ml
@@ -1577,12 +1577,12 @@ let make_font embed fontname =
              ("/BaseFont", Pdf.Name ("/" ^ fontname))]
 
 let addtext
-  metrics lines linewidth outline fast colour fontname embed bates fontsize font
+  metrics lines linewidth outline fast colour fontname embed bates batespad fontsize font
   underneath position hoffset voffset text pages orientation cropbox opacity
   justification filename pdf
 =
   let endpage = Pdfpage.endpage pdf in
-  let replace_pairs pdf filename bates num =
+  let replace_pairs pdf filename bates batespad num =
       ["%Page", string_of_int num;
        "%Roman", roman_upper num;
        "%roman", roman_lower num;
@@ -1590,7 +1590,15 @@ let addtext
        "%Label", pagelabel pdf num;
        "%EndPage", string_of_int endpage;
        "%EndLabel", pagelabel pdf endpage;
-       "%Bates", string_of_int (bates + num - 1)] in
+       "%Bates",
+          (let numstring = string_of_int (bates + num - 1) in
+             match batespad with
+               None -> numstring
+             | Some w ->
+                 if String.length numstring >= w
+                   then numstring
+                   else implode (many '0' (w - String.length numstring)) ^ numstring)]
+  in
   let addtext_page num page =
     let resources', unique_extgstatename =
       if opacity < 1.0 then
@@ -1615,7 +1623,7 @@ let addtext
       in
         let unique_fontname = Pdf.unique_key "F" fontdict in
           let ops =
-            let text = process_text text (replace_pairs pdf filename bates num) in
+            let text = process_text text (replace_pairs pdf filename bates batespad num) in
               let calc_textwidth text =
                 match font with
                 | Some f ->
@@ -1639,7 +1647,8 @@ let addtext
                         (rawwidth *. fontsize) /. 1000.
               in
                 let expanded_lines =
-                  map (function text -> process_text text (replace_pairs pdf filename bates num)) lines
+                  map (function text -> process_text text (replace_pairs pdf
+                  filename bates batespad num)) lines
                 in
                 let textwidth = calc_textwidth text
                 and allwidths = map calc_textwidth expanded_lines in
@@ -1709,7 +1718,7 @@ let unescape_string s =
   implode (unescape_chars [] (explode s))
 
 let
-  addtexts metrics linewidth outline fast fontname font embed bates colour position linespacing
+  addtexts metrics linewidth outline fast fontname font embed bates batespad colour position linespacing
   fontsize underneath text pages orientation cropbox opacity justification
   midline topline filename pdf
 =
@@ -1785,7 +1794,7 @@ let
                in
                  pdf :=
                    addtext metrics lines linewidth outline fast colour fontname
-                   embed bates fontsize font underneath position hoff voff line
+                   embed bates batespad fontsize font underneath position hoff voff line
                    pages orientation cropbox opacity justification filename
                    !pdf;
                  voffset := !voffset +. (linespacing *. fontsize))
diff --git a/cpdf.mli b/cpdf.mli
index 3234ad7..273548f 100644
--- a/cpdf.mli
+++ b/cpdf.mli
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ val calculate_position :
     float * float * float * float ->
     orientation -> position -> float * float * float
 
-(** Call [add_texts metrics linewidth outline fast fontname font bates colour
+(** Call [add_texts metrics linewidth outline fast fontname font bates batespad colour
 position linespacing fontsize underneath text pages orientation
 relative_to_cropbox midline_adjust topline filename pdf]. For details see cpdfmanual.pdf *)
 val addtexts :
@@ -301,7 +301,8 @@ val addtexts :
     string -> (*fontname*)
     Pdftext.standard_font option -> (*font*)
     bool -> (* embed font *)
-    int -> (*bates number *)
+    int -> (* bates number *)
+    int option -> (* bates padding width *)
     float * float * float -> (*colour*)
     position -> (*position*)
     float -> (*linespacing*)
diff --git a/cpdfcommand.ml b/cpdfcommand.ml
index 043da61..d6a82a4 100644
--- a/cpdfcommand.ml
+++ b/cpdfcommand.ml
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ type args =
    mutable topline : bool;
    mutable justification : Cpdf.justification;
    mutable bates : int;
+   mutable batespad : int option;
    mutable prerotate : bool;
    mutable orientation : Cpdf.orientation;
    mutable relative_to_cropbox : bool;
@@ -401,6 +402,7 @@ let args =
    topline = false;
    justification = Cpdf.LeftJustify;
    bates = 0;
+   batespad = None;
    prerotate = false;
    orientation = Cpdf.Horizontal;
    relative_to_cropbox = false;
@@ -483,6 +485,7 @@ let reset_arguments () =
   args.topline <- false;
   args.justification <- Cpdf.LeftJustify;
   args.bates <- 0;
+  args.batespad <- None;
   args.prerotate <- false;
   args.orientation <- Cpdf.Horizontal;
   args.relative_to_cropbox <- false;
@@ -1058,6 +1061,9 @@ let setscalecenter n =
   args.position <- Cpdf.ReverseDiagonal;
   args.justification <- Cpdf.CentreJustify
 
+let setbatespad n =
+  args.batespad <- Some n
+
 let setbates n =
   args.bates <- n
 
@@ -1587,6 +1593,9 @@ and specs =
    ("-bates",
       Arg.Int setbates,
       " Set the base bates number");
+   ("-bates-pad-to",
+      Arg.Int setbatespad,
+      " Pad the bates number with leading zeroes to width");
    ("-font",
       Arg.String setfont,
       " Set the font");
@@ -3508,7 +3517,7 @@ let go () =
               write_pdf false
                 (Cpdf.addtexts
                    false args.linewidth args.outline args.fast args.fontname
-                   font args.embedfonts args.bates args.color args.position
+                   font args.embedfonts args.bates args.batespad args.color args.position
                    args.linespacing args.fontsize args.underneath text range
                    args.orientation args.relative_to_cropbox args.opacity
                    args.justification args.midline args.topline filename pdf)
diff --git a/cpdfmanual.tex b/cpdfmanual.tex
index f3fd82f..1c175e5 100644
--- a/cpdfmanual.tex
+++ b/cpdfmanual.tex
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 %FIXME: Document -no-embed-font and encoding switch
+%Documents bates enhancements
 \documentclass{book}
 \usepackage{palatino}
 \usepackage{microtype}