diff --git a/beetsplug/importadded.py b/beetsplug/importadded.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..539853859
--- /dev/null
+++ b/beetsplug/importadded.py
@@ -0,0 +1,97 @@
+"""Populate an items `added` and `mtime` field by using the file modification
+time (mtime) of the item's source file before import.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import unicode_literals, absolute_import, print_function
+
+import logging
+import os
+
+from beets import config
+from beets import util
+from beets.plugins import BeetsPlugin
+
+log = logging.getLogger('beets')
+
+
+class ImportAddedPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
+    def __init__(self):
+        super(ImportAddedPlugin, self).__init__()
+        self.config.add({
+            'preserve_mtimes': False,
+        })
+
+
+@ImportAddedPlugin.listen('import_task_start')
+def check_config(task, session):
+    config['importadded']['preserve_mtimes'].get(bool)
+
+
+def write_file_mtime(path, mtime):
+    """Write the given mtime to the destination path.
+    """
+    stat = os.stat(util.syspath(path))
+    os.utime(util.syspath(path),
+             (stat.st_atime, mtime))
+
+# key: item path in the library
+# value: the file mtime of the file the item was imported from
+item_mtime = dict()
+
+
+def write_item_mtime(item, mtime):
+    """Write the given mtime to an item's `mtime` field and to the mtime of the
+    item's file.
+    """
+    if mtime is None:
+        log.warn("No mtime to be preserved for item "
+                 + util.displayable_path(item.path))
+        return
+
+    # The file's mtime on disk must be in sync with the item's mtime
+    write_file_mtime(util.syspath(item.path), mtime)
+    item.mtime = mtime
+
+
+@ImportAddedPlugin.listen('before_item_moved')
+@ImportAddedPlugin.listen('item_copied')
+def record_import_mtime(item, source, destination):
+    """Record the file mtime of an item's path before import.
+    """
+    if (source == destination):
+        # Re-import of an existing library item?
+        return
+
+    mtime = os.stat(util.syspath(source)).st_mtime
+    item_mtime[destination] = mtime
+    log.debug('Recorded mtime %s for item "%s" imported from "%s"',
+              mtime,
+              util.displayable_path(destination),
+              util.displayable_path(source))
+
+
+@ImportAddedPlugin.listen('album_imported')
+def update_album_times(lib, album):
+    album_mtimes = []
+    for item in album.items():
+        mtime = item_mtime[item.path]
+        if mtime is not None:
+            album_mtimes.append(mtime)
+            if config['importadded']['preserve_mtimes'].get(bool):
+                write_item_mtime(item, mtime)
+                item.store()
+            del item_mtime[item.path]
+
+    album.added = min(album_mtimes)
+    album.store()
+
+
+@ImportAddedPlugin.listen('item_imported')
+def update_item_times(lib, item):
+    mtime = item_mtime[item.path]
+    if mtime is not None:
+        item.added = mtime
+        if config['importadded']['preserve_mtimes'].get(bool):
+            write_item_mtime(item, mtime)
+        item.store()
+        del item_mtime[item.path]
diff --git a/docs/plugins/importadded.rst b/docs/plugins/importadded.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5da919325
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/plugins/importadded.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+ImportAdded Plugin
+==================
+
+The ``importadded`` plugin is useful when an existing collection is imported
+and the time when albums and items were added should be preserved.
+
+The :abbr:`mtime (modification time)` of files that are imported into the
+library are assumed to represent the time when the items were originally
+added.
+
+The ``item.added`` field is populated as follows:
+
+* For singleton items with no album, ``item.added`` is set to the item's file
+  mtime before it was imported.
+* For items that are part of an album, ``album.added`` and ``item.added`` is
+  set to the oldest mtime of the files in the album before they were imported.
+  The mtime of album directories are ignored.
+
+This plugin can optionally be configured to also preserve mtimes::
+
+    importadded:
+        preserve_mtimes: yes # default: no
+
+File modification times are preserved as follows:
+
+* For all items:
+
+  * ``item.mtime`` is set to the mtime of the file
+    from which the item is imported from.
+  * The mtime of the file ``item.path`` is set to ``item.mtime``.
+
+Note that there is no ``album.mtime`` field in the database and that the mtime
+of album directories on disk aren't preserved.
diff --git a/docs/plugins/index.rst b/docs/plugins/index.rst
index eab7a69b9..7dc0fe799 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/index.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/index.rst
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ by typing ``beet version``.
    ftintitle
    keyfinder
    bucket
+   importadded
 
 Autotagger Extensions
 ---------------------
@@ -91,6 +92,8 @@ Metadata
   statistics (last_played, play_count, skip_count, rating).
 * :doc:`keyfinder`: Use the `KeyFinder`_ program to detect the musical
   key from the audio.
+* :doc:`importadded`: Use file modification times for guessing the value for
+  the `added` field in the database.
 
 .. _Acoustic Attributes: http://developer.echonest.com/acoustic-attributes.html
 .. _the Echo Nest: http://www.echonest.com