diff --git a/core/commands/files.go b/core/commands/files.go
index 927ce51e2cf..6a1c887069e 100644
--- a/core/commands/files.go
+++ b/core/commands/files.go
@@ -356,8 +356,14 @@ 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)
+
+		prefix, err := getPrefixNew(req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -389,6 +395,13 @@ 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)