diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index bbe7d387..83b177dc 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ to share a single input Stream.
 ```javascript
 var pipeline = sharp().rotate();
 pipeline.clone().resize(800, 600).pipe(firstWritableStream);
-pipeline.clone().extract(20, 20, 100, 100).pipe(secondWritableStream);
+pipeline.clone().extract({ left: 20, top: 20, width: 100, height: 100 }).pipe(secondWritableStream);
 readableStream.pipe(pipeline);
 // firstWritableStream receives auto-rotated, resized readableStream
 // secondWritableStream receives auto-rotated, extracted region of readableStream
@@ -230,11 +230,11 @@ sharp(inputBuffer)
 
 ### Operations
 
-#### extract(top, left, width, height)
+#### extract({ left: left, top: top, width: width, height: height })
 
 Extract a region of the image. Can be used with or without a `resize` operation.
 
-`top` and `left` are the offset, in pixels, from the top-left corner.
+`left` and `top` are the offset, in pixels, from the top-left corner.
 
 `width` and `height` are the dimensions of the extracted image.
 
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ Use `extract` before `resize` for pre-resize extraction. Use `extract` after `re
 
 ```javascript
 sharp(input)
-  .extract(top, left, width, height)
+  .extract({ left: left, top: top, width: width, height: height })
   .toFile(output, function(err) {
     // Extract a region of the input image, saving in the same format.
   });
@@ -250,9 +250,9 @@ sharp(input)
 
 ```javascript
 sharp(input)
-  .extract(topOffsetPre, leftOffsetPre, widthPre, heightPre)
+  .extract({ left: leftOffsetPre, top: topOffsetPre, width: widthPre, height: heightPre })
   .resize(width, height)
-  .extract(topOffsetPost, leftOffsetPost, widthPost, heightPost)
+  .extract({ left: leftOffsetPost, top: topOffsetPost, width: widthPost, height: heightPost })
   .toFile(output, function(err) {
     // Extract a region, resize, then extract from the resized image
   });
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 2fe57c1f..76a6fb18 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -169,17 +169,25 @@ Sharp.prototype.crop = function(gravity) {
   return this;
 };
 
-Sharp.prototype.extract = function(topOffset, leftOffset, width, height) {
-  /*jslint unused: false */
+Sharp.prototype.extract = function(options) {
+  if (!options || typeof options !== 'object') {
+    // Legacy extract(top,left,width,height) syntax
+    options = {
+      left: arguments[1],
+      top: arguments[0],
+      width: arguments[2],
+      height: arguments[3]
+    };
+  }
   var suffix = this.options.width === -1 && this.options.height === -1 ? 'Pre' : 'Post';
-  var values = arguments;
-  ['topOffset', 'leftOffset', 'width', 'height'].forEach(function(name, index) {
-    if (typeof values[index] === 'number' && !Number.isNaN(values[index]) && (values[index] % 1 === 0) && values[index] >= 0) {
-      this.options[name + suffix] = values[index];
+  ['left', 'top', 'width', 'height'].forEach(function (name) {
+    var value = options[name];
+    if (typeof value === 'number' && !Number.isNaN(value) && value % 1 === 0 && value >= 0) {
+      this.options[name + (name === 'left' || name === 'top' ? 'Offset' : '') + suffix] = value;
     } else {
-      throw new Error('Non-integer value for ' + name + ' of ' + values[index]);
+      throw new Error('Non-integer value for ' + name + ' of ' + value);
     }
-  }.bind(this));
+  }, this);
   // Ensure existing rotation occurs before pre-resize extraction
   if (suffix === 'Pre' && this.options.angle !== 0) {
     this.options.rotateBeforePreExtract = true;
diff --git a/test/unit/extract.js b/test/unit/extract.js
index 4497e048..fda4d4a5 100755
--- a/test/unit/extract.js
+++ b/test/unit/extract.js
@@ -8,10 +8,33 @@ var fixtures = require('../fixtures');
 sharp.cache(0);
 
 describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
+  describe('using the legacy extract(top,left,width,height) syntax', function () {
+    it('JPEG', function(done) {
+      sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
+        .extract(2, 2, 20, 20)
+        .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
+          if (err) throw err;
+          assert.strictEqual(20, info.width);
+          assert.strictEqual(20, info.height);
+          fixtures.assertSimilar(fixtures.expected('extract.jpg'), data, done);
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('PNG', function(done) {
+      sharp(fixtures.inputPng)
+        .extract(300, 200, 400, 200)
+        .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
+          if (err) throw err;
+          assert.strictEqual(400, info.width);
+          assert.strictEqual(200, info.height);
+          fixtures.assertSimilar(fixtures.expected('extract.png'), data, done);
+      });
+    });
+  });
 
   it('JPEG', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
-      .extract(2, 2, 20, 20)
+      .extract({ left: 2, top: 2, width: 20, height: 20 })
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual(20, info.width);
@@ -22,7 +45,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
   it('PNG', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputPng)
-      .extract(300, 200, 400, 200)
+      .extract({ left: 200, top: 300, width: 400, height: 200 })
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual(400, info.width);
@@ -34,7 +57,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
   if (sharp.format.webp.output.file) {
     it('WebP', function(done) {
       sharp(fixtures.inputWebP)
-        .extract(50, 100, 125, 200)
+        .extract({ left: 100, top: 50, width: 125, height: 200 })
         .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
           if (err) throw err;
           assert.strictEqual(125, info.width);
@@ -46,7 +69,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
   it('TIFF', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputTiff)
-      .extract(63, 34, 341, 529)
+      .extract({ left: 34, top: 63, width: 341, height: 529 })
       .jpeg()
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
@@ -58,7 +81,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
   it('Before resize', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
-      .extract(10, 10, 10, 500, 500)
+      .extract({ left: 10, top: 10, width: 10, height: 500 })
       .resize(100, 100)
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
@@ -72,7 +95,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
       .resize(500, 500)
       .crop(sharp.gravity.north)
-      .extract(10, 10, 100, 100)
+      .extract({ left: 10, top: 10, width: 100, height: 100 })
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual(100, info.width);
@@ -83,10 +106,10 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
   it('Before and after resize and crop', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputJpg)
-      .extract(0, 0, 700, 700)
+      .extract({ left: 0, top: 0, width: 700, height: 700 })
       .resize(500, 500)
       .crop(sharp.gravity.north)
-      .extract(10, 10, 100, 100)
+      .extract({ left: 10, top: 10, width: 100, height: 100 })
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual(100, info.width);
@@ -97,7 +120,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
   it('Extract then rotate', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputPngWithGreyAlpha)
-      .extract(10, 20, 380, 280)
+      .extract({ left: 20, top: 10, width: 380, height: 280 })
       .rotate(90)
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
@@ -110,7 +133,7 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
   it('Rotate then extract', function(done) {
     sharp(fixtures.inputPngWithGreyAlpha)
       .rotate(90)
-      .extract(10, 20, 280, 380)
+      .extract({ left: 20, top: 10, width: 280, height: 380 })
       .toBuffer(function(err, data, info) {
         if (err) throw err;
         assert.strictEqual(280, info.width);
@@ -120,6 +143,31 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
   });
 
   describe('Invalid parameters', function() {
+    describe('using the legacy extract(top,left,width,height) syntax', function () {
+      it('String top', function() {
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract('spoons', 10, 10, 10);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('Non-integral left', function() {
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10.2, 10, 10);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('Negative width - negative', function() {
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10, -10, 10);
+        });
+      });
+
+      it('Null height', function() {
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10, 10, null);
+        });
+      });
+    });
 
     it('Undefined', function() {
       assert.throws(function() {
@@ -129,27 +177,26 @@ describe('Partial image extraction', function() {
 
     it('String top', function() {
       assert.throws(function() {
-        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract('spoons', 10, 10, 10);
+        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract({ left: 10, top: 'spoons', width: 10, height: 10 });
       });
     });
 
     it('Non-integral left', function() {
       assert.throws(function() {
-        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10.2, 10, 10);
+        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract({ left: 10.2, top: 10, width: 10, height: 10 });
       });
     });
 
     it('Negative width - negative', function() {
       assert.throws(function() {
-        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10, -10, 10);
+        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract({ left: 10, top: 10, width: -10, height: 10 });
       });
     });
 
     it('Null height', function() {
       assert.throws(function() {
-        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract(10, 10, 10, null);
+        sharp(fixtures.inputJpg).extract({ left: 10, top: 10, width: 10, height: null });
       });
     });
-
   });
 });