diff --git a/CmdLine.hs b/CmdLine.hs
index 9737e0eb01..98971a733b 100644
--- a/CmdLine.hs
+++ b/CmdLine.hs
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import System.Console.GetOpt
 import Types
 import Commands
 
-data Mode = Add | Push | Pull | Want | Get | Drop | Unannex
+data Mode = Default | Add | Push | Pull | Want | Get | Drop | Unannex
 	deriving Show
 
 options :: [OptDescr Mode]
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ options =
 
 argvToMode argv = do
 	case getOpt Permute options argv of
-		-- default mode is Add
-		([],files,[]) -> return (Add, files)
+		([],files,[]) -> return (Default, files)
 		-- one mode is normal case
 		(m:[],files,[]) -> return (m, files)
 		-- multiple modes is an error
@@ -43,7 +42,8 @@ argvToMode argv = do
 dispatch :: Mode -> FilePath -> Annex ()
 dispatch mode item = do
 	case (mode) of
-		Add     -> annexCmd item
+		Default -> defaultCmd item
+		Add     -> addCmd item
 		Push    -> pushCmd item
 		Pull    -> pullCmd item
 		Want    -> wantCmd item
diff --git a/Commands.hs b/Commands.hs
index be61c7c64e..b4f57d6fe4 100644
--- a/Commands.hs
+++ b/Commands.hs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 {- git-annex subcommands -}
 
 module Commands (
-	annexCmd,
+	defaultCmd,
+	addCmd,
 	unannexCmd,
 	getCmd,
 	wantCmd,
@@ -25,10 +26,19 @@ import UUID
 import LocationLog
 import Types
 
+{- Default mode is to annex a file if it is not already, and otherwise
+ - get its content. -}
+defaultCmd :: FilePath -> Annex ()
+defaultCmd file = do
+	r <- liftIO $ Backend.lookupFile file
+	case (r) of
+		Just v -> getCmd file
+		Nothing -> addCmd file
+
 {- Annexes a file, storing it in a backend, and then moving it into
  - the annex directory and setting up the symlink pointing to its content. -}
-annexCmd :: FilePath -> Annex ()
-annexCmd file = inBackend file err $ do
+addCmd :: FilePath -> Annex ()
+addCmd file = inBackend file err $ do
 	liftIO $ checkLegal file
 	stored <- Backend.storeFile file
 	g <- Annex.gitRepo
@@ -63,7 +73,7 @@ annexCmd file = inBackend file err $ do
 				subdirs = (length $ split "/" file) - 1
 		
 
-{- Inverse of annexCmd. -}
+{- Inverse of addCmd. -}
 unannexCmd :: FilePath -> Annex ()
 unannexCmd file = notinBackend file err $ \(key, backend) -> do
 	Backend.dropFile backend key