diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index e2ccd2d99..363fb8f1e 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
   program to edit tags on files, remove files and directories, etc.,
   and then run "beet update" to make sure your beets library is in
   sync. This will also rename files to reflect their new metadata.
+* A new "beet move" command can copy or move files into your library
+  directory or to another specified directory.
 * When importing files that are already in the library database,
   the items are no longer duplicated -- instead, the library is
   updated to reflect the new metadata. This way, the import command
diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 98dde722a..5b47a40f5 100755
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -942,3 +942,47 @@ def modify_func(lib, config, opts, args):
                  not opts.yes)
 modify_cmd.func = modify_func
 default_commands.append(modify_cmd)
+
+
+# move: Move/copy files to the library or a new base directory.
+
+def move_items(lib, dest, query, copy, album):
+    """Moves or copies items to a new base directory, given by dest. If
+    dest is None, then the library's base directory is used, making the
+    command "consolidate" files.
+    """
+    items, albums = _do_query(lib, query, album, False)
+    objs = albums if album else items
+
+    action = 'Copying' if copy else 'Moving'
+    entity = 'album' if album else 'item'
+    logging.info('%s %i %ss.' % (action, len(objs), entity))
+    for obj in objs:
+        old_path = obj.item_path() if album else obj.path
+        logging.debug('moving: %s' % old_path)
+
+        if album:
+            obj.move(copy)
+        else:
+            obj.move(lib, copy)
+            lib.store(obj)
+    lib.save()
+
+move_cmd = ui.Subcommand('move',
+    help='move or copy items', aliases=('mv',))
+move_cmd.parser.add_option('-d', '--dest', metavar='DIR', dest='dest',
+    help='destination directory')
+move_cmd.parser.add_option('-c', '--copy', default=False, action='store_true',
+    help='copy instead of moving')
+move_cmd.parser.add_option('-a', '--album', default=False, action='store_true',
+    help='match whole albums instead of tracks')
+def move_func(lib, config, opts, args):
+    dest = opts.dest
+    if dest is not None:
+        dest = normpath(dest)
+        if not os.path.isdir(dest):
+            raise ui.UserError('no such directory: %s' % dest)
+
+    move_items(lib, dest, decargs(args), opts.copy, opts.album)
+move_cmd.func = move_func
+default_commands.append(move_cmd)