diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/__init__.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..aea8352
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+import tasks
+
+
+def validate_manifest(data, validator, error):
+	import os.path
+	schema_path = os.path.normpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), 'manifest-schema.yml'))
+	validator(data, schema_path)
+
+
+def resolve_tasks(taskset, manifest):
+	taskset.add(tasks.ValidateSourcePaths)
+
+	if ('mkdirs' in manifest.plugins['file_copy']):
+		taskset.add(tasks.MkdirCommand)
+	if ('files' in manifest.plugins['file_copy']):
+		taskset.add(tasks.FileCopyCommand)
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/manifest-schema.yml b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/manifest-schema.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..25bdb12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/manifest-schema.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+---
+$schema: http://json-schema.org/draft-04/schema#
+properties:
+  plugins:
+    properties:
+      file_copy:
+        properties:
+          mkdirs:
+            items:
+              dir:
+                $ref: '#/definitions/absolute_path'
+              permissions:
+                type: string
+              owner:
+                type: string
+              group:
+                type: string
+          files:
+            items:
+              src:
+                $ref: '#/definitions/absolute_path'
+              dst:
+                $ref: '#/definitions/absolute_path'
+              permissions:
+                type: string
+              owner:
+                type: string
+              group:
+                type: string
+            minItems: 1
+            type: array
+            required:
+              - src
+              - dst
+        required:
+        - files
+        type: object
+    required:
+    - file_copy
+    type: object
+required:
+- plugins
+title: File copy plugin manifest
+type: object
diff --git a/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/tasks.py b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/tasks.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06c5dd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bootstrapvz/plugins/file_copy/tasks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+from bootstrapvz.base import Task
+from bootstrapvz.common import phases
+
+import os
+import shutil
+
+
+class ValidateSourcePaths(Task):
+	description = 'Check whether the files to be copied exist'
+	phase = phases.preparation
+
+	@classmethod
+	def run(cls, info):
+		from bootstrapvz.common.exceptions import TaskError
+		for file_entry in info.manifest.plugins['file_copy']['files']:
+			srcfile = file_entry['src']
+			if not os.path.isfile(srcfile):
+				msg = 'The source file %s does not exist.' % srcfile
+				raise TaskError(msg)
+
+
+def modify_path(info, path, entry):
+	from bootstrapvz.common.tools import log_check_call
+	if 'permissions' in entry:
+		# We wrap the permissions string in str() in case
+		#  the user specified a numeric bitmask
+		chmod_command = ['chroot', info.root, 'chmod', str(entry['permissions']), path]
+		log_check_call(chmod_command)
+
+	if 'owner' in entry:
+		chown_command = ['chroot', info.root, 'chown', entry['owner'], path]
+		log_check_call(chown_command)
+
+	if 'group' in entry:
+		chgrp_command = ['chroot', info.root, 'chgrp', entry['group'], path]
+		log_check_call(chgrp_command)
+
+
+class MkdirCommand(Task):
+	description = 'copy files into the image'
+	phase = phases.system_modification
+
+	@classmethod
+	def run(cls, info):
+		from bootstrapvz.common.tools import log_check_call
+
+		for dir_entry in info.manifest.plugins['file_copy']['mkdirs']:
+			mkdir_command = ['chroot', info.root, 'mkdir', '-p', dir_entry['dir']]
+			log_check_call(mkdir_command)
+			modify_path(info, dir_entry['dir'], dir_entry)
+
+
+class FileCopyCommand(Task):
+	description = 'copy files into the image'
+	phase = phases.system_modification
+	predecessors = [MkdirCommand]
+
+	@classmethod
+	def run(cls, info):
+		for file_entry in info.manifest.plugins['file_copy']['files']:
+			# note that we don't use os.path.join because it can't
+			#  handle absolute paths, which 'dst' most likely is.
+			final_destination = os.path.normpath("%s/%s" % (info.root, file_entry['dst']))
+			shutil.copy(file_entry['src'], final_destination)
+			modify_path(info, file_entry['dst'], file_entry)