diff --git a/core/coreunix/add.go b/core/coreunix/add.go
index ade57652b..629696a7e 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/add.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/add.go
@@ -1,11 +1,18 @@
 package coreunix
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path"
 
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands/files"
 	core "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core"
 	importer "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/importer"
 	chunk "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/importer/chunk"
+	merkledag "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/merkledag"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/pin"
+	unixfs "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/unixfs"
 	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
@@ -22,5 +29,107 @@ func Add(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader) (u.Key, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
+	// TODO(btc): is it necessary to flush the pinner?
 	return dagNode.Key()
 }
+
+// AddR recursively adds files in |path|.
+func AddR(n *core.IpfsNode, root string) (key string, err error) {
+	f, err := os.Open(root)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer f.Close()
+	ff, err := files.NewSerialFile(root, f)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	dagnode, err := addFile(n, ff)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	k, err := dagnode.Key()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return k.String(), nil
+}
+
+func add(n *core.IpfsNode, readers []io.Reader) ([]*merkledag.Node, error) {
+	mp, ok := n.Pinning.(pin.ManualPinner)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, errors.New("invalid pinner type! expected manual pinner")
+	}
+	dagnodes := make([]*merkledag.Node, 0)
+	for _, reader := range readers {
+		node, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(reader, n.DAG, mp, chunk.DefaultSplitter)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		dagnodes = append(dagnodes, node)
+	}
+	err := n.Pinning.Flush()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return dagnodes, nil
+}
+
+func addNode(n *core.IpfsNode, node *merkledag.Node) error {
+	err := n.DAG.AddRecursive(node) // add the file to the graph + local storage
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	err = n.Pinning.Pin(node, true) // ensure we keep it
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func addFile(n *core.IpfsNode, file files.File) (*merkledag.Node, error) {
+	if file.IsDirectory() {
+		return addDir(n, file)
+	}
+
+	dns, err := add(n, []io.Reader{file})
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return dns[len(dns)-1], nil // last dag node is the file.
+}
+
+func addDir(n *core.IpfsNode, dir files.File) (*merkledag.Node, error) {
+
+	tree := &merkledag.Node{Data: unixfs.FolderPBData()}
+
+Loop:
+	for {
+		file, err := dir.NextFile()
+		switch {
+		case err != nil && err != io.EOF:
+			return nil, err
+		case err == io.EOF:
+			break Loop
+		}
+
+		node, err := addFile(n, file)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		_, name := path.Split(file.FileName())
+
+		err = tree.AddNodeLink(name, node)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
+	err := addNode(n, tree)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return tree, nil
+}
diff --git a/core/coreunix/add_test.go b/core/coreunix/add_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5987f47fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/coreunix/add_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package coreunix
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"path"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/repo/config"
+	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/testutil"
+)
+
+func TestAddRecursive(t *testing.T) {
+	here, err := os.Getwd()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	r := &repo.Mock{
+		C: config.Config{
+			Identity: config.Identity{
+				PeerID: "Qmfoo", // required by offline node
+			},
+		},
+		D: testutil.ThreadSafeCloserMapDatastore(),
+	}
+	node, err := core.NewIPFSNode(context.Background(), core.Offline(r))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if k, err := AddR(node, path.Join(here, "test_data")); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	} else if k != "QmWCCga8AbTyfAQ7pTnGT6JgmRMAB3Qp8ZmTEFi5q5o8jC" {
+		t.Fatal("keys do not match")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/core/coreunix/test_data/colors/orange b/core/coreunix/test_data/colors/orange
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8c1e5ce5
Binary files /dev/null and b/core/coreunix/test_data/colors/orange differ
diff --git a/core/coreunix/test_data/corps/apple b/core/coreunix/test_data/corps/apple
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c479deff
Binary files /dev/null and b/core/coreunix/test_data/corps/apple differ
diff --git a/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/apple b/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/apple
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4c479deff
Binary files /dev/null and b/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/apple differ
diff --git a/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/orange b/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/orange
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f8c1e5ce5
Binary files /dev/null and b/core/coreunix/test_data/fruits/orange differ