diff --git a/core/commands/files.go b/core/commands/files.go
index 927ce51e2cf..f081af799fb 100644
--- a/core/commands/files.go
+++ b/core/commands/files.go
@@ -356,12 +356,21 @@ GC'ed.
 		cmds.StringArg("source", true, false, "Source IPFS or MFS path to copy."),
 		cmds.StringArg("dest", true, false, "Destination within MFS."),
 	},
+	Options: []cmds.Option{
+		cmds.BoolOption(filesParentsOptionName, "p", "Make parent directories as needed."),
+	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
+		mkParents, _ := req.Options[filesParentsOptionName].(bool)
 		nd, err := cmdenv.GetNode(env)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		prefix, err := getPrefixNew(req)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+
 		api, err := cmdenv.GetApi(env, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -389,6 +398,13 @@ GC'ed.
 			return fmt.Errorf("cp: cannot get node from path %s: %s", src, err)
 		}
 
+		if mkParents {
+			err := ensureContainingDirectoryExists(nd.FilesRoot, dst, prefix)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
 		err = mfs.PutNode(nd.FilesRoot, dst, node)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cp: cannot put node in path %s: %s", dst, err)
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh b/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
index 7d6c85dc984..e2162cdf79e 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0250-files-api.sh
@@ -296,6 +296,20 @@ test_files_api() {
     ipfs files cp /ipfs/$FILE3 /cats/this/is/a/dir/file3
   '
 
+  test_expect_success "can copy file into deep dir using -p flag $EXTRA" '
+    ipfs files cp -p /ipfs/$FILE3 /cats/some/other/dir/file3
+  '
+
+  test_expect_success "file copied into deep dir exists $EXTRA" '
+    ipfs files read /cats/some/other/dir/file3 > file_out &&
+    echo "baz" > file_exp &&
+    test_cmp file_out file_exp
+  '
+  
+  test_expect_success "cleanup deep cp -p test $EXTRA" '
+    ipfs files rm -r /cats/some
+  '
+
   test_expect_success "can read file $EXTRA" '
     ipfs files read /cats/this/is/a/dir/file3 > output
   '