diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index 1c46c18d34985566c4dd4c8def5a41ff0125cfb6..9dd8a95cc61673347b9b616b0ab097ca59fde983 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 Zen 6.x-2.x-dev, xxxx-xx-xx (development release)
 ------------------------
+- Added $build_mode variable to node.tpl.php
 - #445814: Change primary/secondary link rendering and move secondary menu to footer
 - #445822: Simplify wrapper divs around logo, site name, slogan
 - #546862: Add D7's element-hidden and element-invisible for accessibility features
diff --git a/template.php b/template.php
index 6ae8f5d45ea9f22ddaa6598e35d25a2e312bd442..88668bec9cb5a272d4caa0256baffd0cd020c2cb 100644
--- a/template.php
+++ b/template.php
@@ -169,7 +169,29 @@ function zen_preprocess_page(&$vars, $hook) {
  *   The name of the template being rendered ("node" in this case.)
  */
 function zen_preprocess_node(&$vars, $hook) {
-  // Special classes for nodes
+  // Create the build_mode variable.
+  switch ($vars['node']->build_mode) {
+    case NODE_BUILD_NORMAL:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = $vars['teaser'] ? 'teaser' : 'full';
+      break;
+    case NODE_BUILD_PREVIEW:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = 'preview';
+      break;
+    case NODE_BUILD_SEARCH_INDEX:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = 'search_index';
+      break;
+    case NODE_BUILD_SEARCH_RESULT:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = 'search_result';
+      break;
+    case NODE_BUILD_RSS:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = 'rss';
+      break;
+    case NODE_BUILD_PRINT:
+      $vars['build_mode'] = 'print';
+      break;
+  }
+
+  // Special classes for nodes.
   $classes = array('node');
   if ($vars['sticky']) {
     $classes[] = 'sticky';
diff --git a/templates/node.tpl.php b/templates/node.tpl.php
index 13f982f8a106b08a60acfeb6a93cb6f24271622b..cb12dc6a7de8634e1929ecf74e1a01694f941dd4 100644
--- a/templates/node.tpl.php
+++ b/templates/node.tpl.php
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
  * - $id: Position of the node. Increments each time it's output.
  *
  * Node status variables:
- * - $teaser: Flag for the teaser state.
+ * - $build_mode: Build mode, e.g. 'full', 'teaser'...
+ * - $teaser: Flag for the teaser state (shortcut for $build_mode == 'teaser').
  * - $page: Flag for the full page state.
  * - $promote: Flag for front page promotion state.
  * - $sticky: Flags for sticky post setting.