diff --git a/scripts/ftp-anon.nse b/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
index 316b0c643..f2f81bb8c 100644
--- a/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
+++ b/scripts/ftp-anon.nse
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ Checks if an FTP server allows anonymous logins.
 
 ---
 -- @output
--- |_ ftp-anon: Anonymous FTP login allowed
+--- Default behavior
+-- PORT   STATE SERVICE
+-- 21/tcp open  ftp
+-- |_ftp-anon: Anonymous FTP login allowed (FTP code 230)
 
-author = "Eddie Bell"
+author = "Eddie Bell, Rob Nicholls, Ange Gutek, David Fifield"
 license = "Same as Nmap--See http://nmap.org/book/man-legal.html"
 categories = {"default", "auth", "safe"}
 
@@ -14,35 +17,103 @@ require "shortport"
 
 portrule = shortport.port_or_service(21, "ftp")
 
+-- Read an FTP reply and return the numeric code and the message. See RFC 959,
+-- section 4.2. The buffer argument should have been created with
+-- stdnse.make_buffer(socket, "\r?\n"). On error, returns nil and an error
+-- message.
+local function read_reply(buffer)
+	local readline
+	local line, err
+	local code, message
+	local _, p, tmp
+
+	line, err = buffer()
+	if not line then
+		    return line, err
+	end
+
+	-- Single-line response?
+	code, message = string.match(line, "^(%d%d%d) (.*)$")
+	if code then
+		return tonumber(code), message
+	end
+
+	-- Multi-line response?
+	_, p, code, message = string.find(line, "^(%d%d%d)-(.*)$")
+	if p then
+	while true do
+		line, err = buffer()
+		if not line then
+			return line, err
+		end
+		tmp = string.match(line, "^%d%d%d (.*)$")
+		if tmp then
+			message = message .. "\n" .. tmp
+			break
+		end
+		message = message .. "\n" .. line
+		end
+
+		return tonumber(code), message
+	end
+
+	return nil, string.format("Unparseable response: %q", line)
+end
+
+
 --- Connects to the FTP server and checks if the server allows anonymous logins.
 action = function(host, port)
 	local socket = nmap.new_socket()
-	local result
-	local status = true
-	local isAnon = false
-
+	local code, message
 	local err_catch = function()
 		socket:close()
 	end
 
 	local try = nmap.new_try(err_catch)
 
-	socket:set_timeout(5000)
 	try(socket:connect(host.ip, port.number, port.protocol))
-	try(socket:send("USER anonymous\r\n"))
-	try(socket:send("PASS IEUser@\r\n"))
+	buffer = stdnse.make_buffer(socket, "\r?\n")
 
-        while status do
-		status, result = socket:receive_lines(1);
-		if string.match(result, "^230") then
-			isAnon = true
-			break
+	-- Read banner.
+	code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+	if code and code == 220 then
+		try(socket:send("USER anonymous\r\n"))
+		code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+		if code == 331 then
+			-- 331: User name okay, need password.
+			try(socket:send("PASS IEUser@\r\n"))
+			code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+		end
+
+		if code == 332 then
+			-- 332: Need account for login.
+			-- This is rarely seen but may come in response to a
+			-- USER or PASS command. As we're doing this
+			-- anonymously, send back a blank ACCT.
+			try(socket:send("ACCT\r\n"))
+			code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+			if code == 331 then
+				-- 331: User name okay, need password.
+				try(socket:send("PASS IEUser@\r\n"))
+				code, message = read_reply(buffer)
+			end
 		end
 	end
 
 	socket:close()
 
-	if(isAnon) then
-		return "Anonymous FTP login allowed"
+	if code and code >= 200 and code < 300 then
+		-- We are primarily looking for 230: User logged in, proceed.
+		return "Anonymous FTP login allowed (FTP code " .. code .. ")"
+	elseif code == 421 then
+		-- 421: Service not available, closing control connection.
+	elseif code == 530 then
+		-- 530: Not logged in.
+	else
+		if not code then
+			stdnse.print_debug(1, "ftp-anon: got socket error %q.", message)
+		else
+			stdnse.print_debug(1, "ftp-anon: got code %d %q.", code, message)
+		end
 	end
 end