Such great news! And really, unprecedented in the new model that cable series have been following over the past few years. Warehouse 13, along with most cable shows, has had 13-episode seasons for its first three seasons, the most recent of which concluded last fall.

Deadline now reports that Syfy is close to finalizing a deal for an additional 7 episodes, taking the season to 20 episodes, really a season and a half in the cable world, and close to a full big-network-sized season. Hopefully this longer season won’t equate to a longer wait for season 5, but will simply be more great original programming from one of our favorite networks. It would be a viewer win, and likely a Syfy ratings win as well.

We’d be okay with the episodes added to the front end of the season, and maybe get a May launch instead of the traditional July? Hey, we can dream!

Warehouse 13, starring Joanne Kelly, Eddie McClintock, Saul Rubinek and Allison Scagliotti, returns with its fourth season sometime  in 2012 on Syfy.