diff --git a/beets/importer.py b/beets/importer.py
index d31fd1a11..61ff1294a 100644
--- a/beets/importer.py
+++ b/beets/importer.py
@@ -548,6 +548,10 @@ class ImportTask(object):
 
 
 class ArchiveImportTask(ImportTask):
+    """Additional methods for handling archives.
+
+    Use when `toppath` points to a `zip`, `tar`, or `rar` archive.
+    """
 
     def __init__(self, toppath):
         super(ArchiveImportTask, self).__init__(toppath)
@@ -582,6 +586,13 @@ class ArchiveImportTask(ImportTask):
             cls._handlers.append((is_zipfile, ZipFile))
             from tarfile import is_tarfile, TarFile
             cls._handlers.append((is_tarfile, TarFile))
+            try:
+                from rarfile import is_rarfile, RarFile
+            except ImportError:
+                pass
+            else:
+                cls._handlers.append((is_rarfile, RarFile))
+
         return cls._handlers
 
     def cleanup(self):
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index e2c917121..c602d275f 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ setup(
         'echonest_tempo': ['pyechonest'],
         'lastgenre': ['pylast'],
         'web': ['flask'],
+        'import': ['rarfile'],
     },
     # Non-Python/non-PyPI plugin dependencies:
     # replaygain: mp3gain || aacgain
diff --git a/test/rsrc/archive.rar b/test/rsrc/archive.rar
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e51051155
Binary files /dev/null and b/test/rsrc/archive.rar differ
diff --git a/test/test_importer.py b/test/test_importer.py
index 854b21d4b..d6b211c2d 100644
--- a/test/test_importer.py
+++ b/test/test_importer.py
@@ -342,6 +342,19 @@ class ImportTarTest(ImportZipTest):
         return path
 
 
+class ImportRarTest(ImportZipTest):
+
+    def create_archive(self):
+        return os.path.join(_common.RSRC, 'archive.rar')
+
+
+@unittest.skip('Implment me!')
+class ImportPasswordRarTest(ImportZipTest):
+
+    def create_archive(self):
+        return os.path.join(_common.RSRC, 'password.rar')
+
+
 class ImportSingletonTest(_common.TestCase, ImportHelper):
     """Test ``APPLY`` and ``ASIS`` choices for an import session with singletons
     config set to True.
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 5e50071c6..e84f536ac 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ deps =
     flask
     responses
     pyechonest
+    rarfile
 commands =
     nosetests {posargs}