Index: src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction.java	(revision 33907)
+++ src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction.java	(working copy)
@@ -5,10 +5,18 @@
 import hudson.model.ProminentProjectAction;
 import hudson.model.Saveable;
 import hudson.model.User;
+import hudson.tasks.Mailer;
 import hudson.tasks.junit.TestAction;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Date;
+import java.util.logging.Level;
+import java.util.logging.Logger;
 
+import javax.mail.Message;
+import javax.mail.Transport;
+import javax.mail.internet.InternetAddress;
+import javax.mail.internet.MimeMessage;
 import javax.servlet.ServletException;
 
 import org.acegisecurity.Authentication;
@@ -23,13 +31,14 @@
 		ProminentProjectAction {
 
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+	private static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(AbstractClaimBuildAction.class.getName());
 
 	private boolean claimed;
 	private String claimedBy;
 	private boolean transientClaim;
-	
+
 	protected T owner;
-	
+
 	AbstractClaimBuildAction(T owner) {
 		this.owner = owner;
 	}
@@ -46,16 +55,57 @@
 
 	public void doClaim(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse resp)
 			throws ServletException, IOException {
-		Authentication authentication = Hudson.getAuthentication();
-		String name = authentication.getName();
+    Authentication authentication = Hudson.getAuthentication();
+    String currentUsername = authentication.getName();
+		String name = (String) req.getSubmittedForm().get("who");
+    if (StringUtils.isEmpty(name)) {
+      name = currentUsername;
+    } else {
+      // Validate the specified username.
+      User assignedToUser = User.get(name, false);
+      if (assignedToUser == null) {
+        LOGGER.log(Level.WARNING, "Invalid username specified for assignment: "+name);
+        resp.forwardToPreviousPage(req);
+        return;
+      }
+    }
 		String reason = (String) req.getSubmittedForm().get("reason");
 		boolean sticky = req.getSubmittedForm().getBoolean("sticky");
 		if (StringUtils.isEmpty(reason)) reason = null;
 		claim(name, reason, sticky);
 		owner.save();
+    if (!currentUsername.equals(name)) {
+      sendAssignmentEmail(name, currentUsername, reason);
+    }
 		resp.forwardToPreviousPage(req);
 	}
 
+	private void sendAssignmentEmail(String assignee, String assignedBy, String reason) {
+	  try {
+	    User assigneeUser = User.get(assignee, false);
+	    String assigneeEmail = assigneeUser.getProperty(Mailer.UserProperty.class).getAddress();
+	    String claimedItemDisplayName = getClaimedItemDisplayName();
+	    String claimedItemUrl = Mailer.descriptor().getUrl()+getClaimedItemUrl();
+
+	    MimeMessage msg = new MimeMessage(Mailer.descriptor().createSession());
+	    msg.setFrom(new InternetAddress(Mailer.descriptor().getAdminAddress()));
+	    msg.setRecipient(Message.RecipientType.TO, new InternetAddress(assigneeEmail));
+	    msg.setSentDate(new Date());
+	    msg.setSubject(getNoun()+" assigned to you: "+claimedItemDisplayName);
+
+	    String msgContent = assignedBy + " assigned you this "+getNoun()+": "+claimedItemDisplayName;
+	    msgContent += "\n\nReason: "+reason;
+	    msgContent += "\n\n"+claimedItemUrl;
+	    msg.setContent(msgContent, "text/plain");
+
+	    Transport.send(msg);
+	  } catch (Exception e) {
+	    LOGGER.log(Level.WARNING, "Could not send assignment email to "+assignee, e);
+	  }
+	}
+	protected abstract String getClaimedItemDisplayName();
+	protected abstract String getClaimedItemUrl();
+
 	public void doUnclaim(StaplerRequest req, StaplerResponse resp)
 			throws ServletException, IOException {
 		unclaim();
@@ -76,7 +126,7 @@
 			return claimedBy;
 		}
 	}
-	
+
 	public void setClaimedBy(String claimedBy) {
 		this.claimedBy = claimedBy;
 	}
@@ -92,7 +142,7 @@
 		this.reason = reason;
 		this.transientClaim = !sticky;
 	}
-	
+
 	/**
 	 * Claim a new Run with the same settings as this one.
 	 */
@@ -144,15 +194,15 @@
 	public void setTransient(boolean transientClaim) {
 		this.transientClaim = transientClaim;
 	}
-	
+
 	public boolean isSticky() {
 		return !transientClaim;
 	}
-	
+
 	public void setSticky(boolean sticky) {
 		this.transientClaim = !sticky;
 	}
-	
+
 	public abstract String getNoun();
-	
+
 }
Index: src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimBuildAction.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimBuildAction.java	(revision 33907)
+++ src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimBuildAction.java	(working copy)
@@ -1,13 +1,13 @@
 package hudson.plugins.claim;
 
+import hudson.model.Run;
+
 import java.io.ObjectStreamException;
 
-import hudson.model.Run;
-
 public class ClaimBuildAction extends AbstractClaimBuildAction<Run> {
 
 	private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
-	
+
 	private transient Run run;
 
 	public ClaimBuildAction(Run run) {
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 	public String getDisplayName() {
 		return "Claim Build";
 	}
-	
+
 	@Override
 	public String getNoun() {
 		return "build";
@@ -30,4 +30,12 @@
 		return this;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected String getClaimedItemDisplayName() {
+	  return owner.getFullDisplayName();
+	}
+	@Override
+	protected String getClaimedItemUrl() {
+	  return owner.getUrl();
+	}
 }
Index: src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestAction.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestAction.java	(revision 33907)
+++ src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestAction.java	(working copy)
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package hudson.plugins.claim;
 
 import hudson.plugins.claim.ClaimTestDataPublisher.Data;
-import hudson.tasks.junit.TestAction;
 
 public class ClaimTestAction extends AbstractClaimBuildAction<Data> {
 
@@ -15,16 +14,25 @@
 	public String getDisplayName() {
 		return "Claim Test";
 	}
-	
+
 	@Override
 	public void claim(String claimedBy, String reason, boolean sticky) {
 		super.claim(claimedBy, reason, sticky);
 		owner.addClaim(testObjectId, this);
 	}
-	
+
 	@Override
 	public String getNoun() {
 		return "test";
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected String getClaimedItemDisplayName() {
+	  String buildDisplayName = owner.getBuild().getFullDisplayName();
+    return testObjectId+" ("+buildDisplayName+")";
+  }
+	@Override
+	protected String getClaimedItemUrl() {
+	  return owner.getBuild().getUrl();
+	}
 }
Index: src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestDataPublisher.java
===================================================================
--- src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestDataPublisher.java	(revision 33907)
+++ src/main/java/hudson/plugins/claim/ClaimTestDataPublisher.java	(working copy)
@@ -22,14 +22,14 @@
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.DataBoundConstructor;
 
 public class ClaimTestDataPublisher extends TestDataPublisher {
-	
+
 	@DataBoundConstructor
 	public ClaimTestDataPublisher() {}
-	
+
 	@Override
 	public Data getTestData(AbstractBuild<?, ?> build, Launcher launcher,
 			BuildListener listener, TestResult testResult) {
-		
+
 		Data data = new Data(build);
 
 		for (CaseResult result: testResult.getFailedTests()) {
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@
 				}
 			}
 		}
-		
+
 		return data;
-		
+
 	}
-	
+
 	public static class Data extends TestResultAction.Data implements Saveable {
 
 		private Map<String,ClaimTestAction> claims = new HashMap<String,ClaimTestAction>();
@@ -68,21 +68,25 @@
 			if (result == null && id.startsWith("junit")) {
 				result = claims.get(id.substring(5));
 			}
-			
+
 			if (result != null) {
 				return Collections.<TestAction>singletonList(result);
 			}
-			
+
 			if (testObject instanceof CaseResult) {
 				CaseResult cr = (CaseResult) testObject;
 				if (!cr.isPassed() && !cr.isSkipped()) {
 					return Collections.<TestAction>singletonList(new ClaimTestAction(this, id));
 				}
 			}
-			
+
 			return Collections.emptyList();
 		}
 
+		public AbstractBuild<?,?> getBuild() {
+		  return build;
+		}
+
 		public void save() throws IOException {
 			build.save();
 		}
@@ -91,12 +95,12 @@
 				ClaimTestAction claim) {
 			claims.put(testObjectId, claim);
 		}
-		
+
 	}
-	
+
 	@Extension
 	public static class DescriptorImpl extends Descriptor<TestDataPublisher> {
-		
+
 		@Override
 		public String getDisplayName() {
 			return "Allow claiming of failed tests";
Index: src/main/resources/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction/summary.jelly
===================================================================
--- src/main/resources/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction/summary.jelly	(revision 33907)
+++ src/main/resources/hudson/plugins/claim/AbstractClaimBuildAction/summary.jelly	(working copy)
@@ -4,15 +4,27 @@
     <script type="text/javascript">
         function ShowPopup(hoveritem)
         {
+            HideAssignPopup();
             hp = document.getElementById("claimHoverPopup");
             hp.style.display = "block";
         }
-
-        function HidePopup()
+        function HideClaimPopup()
         {
             hp = document.getElementById("claimHoverPopup");
             hp.style.display = "none";
         }
+
+        function ShowAssignPopup(hoveritem)
+        {
+            HideClaimPopup();
+            hp = document.getElementById("assignHoverPopup");
+            hp.style.display = "block";
+        }
+        function HideAssignPopup()
+        {
+            hp = document.getElementById("assignHoverPopup");
+            hp.style.display = "none";
+        }
     </script>
 
     <t:summary icon="orange-square.gif">
@@ -21,7 +33,8 @@
                 <p>
                     You claimed this ${it.noun}.
                     <j:if test="${it.canRelease()}">
-                        <a id="dropClaim" href="claim/unclaim">Drop the claim.</a>
+                        <a id="dropClaim" href="claim/unclaim">Drop the claim</a> or
+                        <a id="reassign" href="#" onClick="ShowAssignPopup(this); return false;">reassign</a>.
                     </j:if>
                 </p>
                 <j:if test="${it.hasReason()}">
@@ -32,7 +45,8 @@
                 <p>
                     This ${it.noun} was claimed by ${it.claimedByName}.
                     <j:if test="${it.canClaim()}">
-                        <a id="claimForYourself" href="#" onClick="ShowPopup(this); return false;">Claim for yourself.</a>
+                        <a id="claimForYourself" href="#" onClick="ShowPopup(this); return false;">Claim for yourself</a> or
+                        <a id="reassign" href="#" onClick="ShowAssignPopup(this); return false;">reassign</a>.
                     </j:if>
                 </p>
                 <j:if test="${it.hasReason()}">
@@ -42,7 +56,8 @@
             <j:otherwise>
                 This ${it.noun} was not claimed.
                 <j:if test="${it.canClaim()}">
-                    <a id ="claim" href="#" onClick="ShowPopup(this); return false;">Claim</a>
+                    <a id ="claim" href="#" onClick="ShowPopup(this); return false;">Claim</a> or
+                    <a id ="assign" href="#" onClick="ShowAssignPopup(this); return false;">assign</a>
                     it.
                 </j:if>
             </j:otherwise>
@@ -58,10 +73,29 @@
                 <f:block>
                     <div align="right">
                         <f:submit value="${%Claim}"/>
-                        <input type="button" onClick="HidePopup();" value="Cancel" class="submit-button"/>
+                        <input type="button" onClick="HideClaimPopup();" value="Cancel" class="submit-button"/>
                     </div>
                 </f:block>
             </f:form>
         </div>
+        <div id="assignHoverPopup" style="display:none; width:500px; z-index:1000; border:1px solid #bbb;">
+            <f:form method="post" action="claim/claim" name="claim">
+                <f:entry title="${%Who}">
+                    <f:textbox name="who" value="${it.who}"/>
+                </f:entry>
+                <f:entry title="${%Reason}" help="/plugin/claim/help-reason.html">
+                    <f:textarea name="reason" value="${it.reason}"/>
+                </f:entry>
+                <f:entry title="${%Sticky}" help="/plugin/claim/help-sticky.html"> 
+                    <f:checkbox name="sticky" checked="${it.sticky}"/>
+                </f:entry>
+                <f:block>
+                    <div align="right">
+                        <f:submit value="${%Assign}"/>
+                        <input type="button" onClick="HideAssignPopup();" value="Cancel" class="submit-button"/>
+                    </div>
+                </f:block>
+            </f:form>
+        </div>
     </t:summary>
 </j:jelly>