diff --git a/cmd/bzzup/main.go b/cmd/bzzup/main.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..83d6f9b7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/bzzup/main.go
@@ -0,0 +1,161 @@
+// Copyright 2016 The go-ethereum Authors
+// This file is part of go-ethereum.
+//
+// go-ethereum is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// go-ethereum is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
+// GNU General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+// along with go-ethereum. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+// Command bzzup uploads files to the swarm HTTP API.
+package main
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"flag"
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"log"
+	"mime"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+func main() {
+	var (
+		bzzapiFlag    = flag.String("bzzapi", "http://127.0.0.1:8500", "Swarm HTTP endpoint")
+		recursiveFlag = flag.Bool("recursive", false, "Upload directories recursively")
+		manifestFlag  = flag.Bool("manifest", true, "Skip automatic manifest upload")
+	)
+	log.SetOutput(os.Stderr)
+	log.SetFlags(0)
+	flag.Parse()
+	if flag.NArg() != 1 {
+		log.Fatal("need filename as the first and only argument")
+	}
+
+	var (
+		file   = flag.Arg(0)
+		client = &client{api: *bzzapiFlag}
+		mroot  manifest
+	)
+	fi, err := os.Stat(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if fi.IsDir() {
+		if !*recursiveFlag {
+			log.Fatal("argument is a directory and recursive upload is disabled")
+		}
+		mroot, err = client.uploadDirectory(file)
+	} else {
+		mroot, err = client.uploadFile(file, fi)
+		if *manifestFlag {
+			// Wrap the raw file entry in a proper manifest so both hashes get printed.
+			mroot = manifest{Entries: []manifest{mroot}}
+		}
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalln("upload failed:", err)
+	}
+	if *manifestFlag {
+		hash, err := client.uploadManifest(mroot)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Fatalln("manifest upload failed:", err)
+		}
+		mroot.Hash = hash
+	}
+
+	// Print the manifest. This is the only output to stdout.
+	mrootJSON, _ := json.MarshalIndent(mroot, "", "  ")
+	fmt.Println(string(mrootJSON))
+}
+
+// client wraps interaction with the swarm HTTP gateway.
+type client struct {
+	api string
+}
+
+// manifest is the JSON representation of a swarm manifest.
+type manifest struct {
+	Hash        string     `json:"hash,omitempty"`
+	ContentType string     `json:"contentType,omitempty"`
+	Path        string     `json:"path,omitempty"`
+	Entries     []manifest `json:"entries,omitempty"`
+}
+
+func (c *client) uploadFile(file string, fi os.FileInfo) (manifest, error) {
+	hash, err := c.uploadFileContent(file, fi)
+	m := manifest{
+		Hash:        hash,
+		ContentType: mime.TypeByExtension(filepath.Ext(fi.Name())),
+	}
+	return m, err
+}
+
+func (c *client) uploadDirectory(dir string) (manifest, error) {
+	dirm := manifest{}
+	prefix := filepath.ToSlash(dir) + "/"
+	err := filepath.Walk(dir, func(path string, fi os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		if err != nil || fi.IsDir() {
+			return err
+		}
+		if !strings.HasPrefix(path, dir) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("path %s outside directory %s", path, dir)
+		}
+		entry, err := c.uploadFile(path, fi)
+		entry.Path = strings.TrimPrefix(filepath.ToSlash(path), prefix)
+		dirm.Entries = append(dirm.Entries, entry)
+		return err
+	})
+	return dirm, err
+}
+
+func (c *client) uploadFileContent(file string, fi os.FileInfo) (string, error) {
+	fd, err := os.Open(file)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer fd.Close()
+	log.Printf("uploading file %s (%d bytes)", file, fi.Size())
+	return c.postRaw("application/octet-stream", fi.Size(), fd)
+}
+
+func (c *client) uploadManifest(m manifest) (string, error) {
+	jsm, err := json.Marshal(m)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
+	log.Println("uploading manifest")
+	return c.postRaw("application/json", int64(len(jsm)), ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewReader(jsm)))
+}
+
+func (c *client) postRaw(mimetype string, size int64, body io.ReadCloser) (string, error) {
+	req, err := http.NewRequest("POST", c.api+"/bzzr:/", body)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	req.Header.Set("content-type", mimetype)
+	req.ContentLength = size
+	resp, err := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+	if resp.StatusCode >= 400 {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("bad status: %s", resp.Status)
+	}
+	content, err := ioutil.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	return string(content), err
+}