diff --git a/GitAnnex.hs b/GitAnnex.hs
index bcb30ff41f..a284daad5c 100644
--- a/GitAnnex.hs
+++ b/GitAnnex.hs
@@ -112,6 +112,8 @@ options = commonOptions ++
 		"skip files matching the glob pattern"
 	, Option ['i'] ["in"] (ReqArg (Limit.addIn) paramRemote)
 		"skip files not present in a remote"
+	, Option ['C'] ["copies"] (ReqArg (Limit.addCopies) paramNumber)
+		"skip files with fewer copies"
 	] ++ matcherOptions
 	where
 		setto v = Annex.changeState $ \s -> s { Annex.toremote = Just v }
diff --git a/Limit.hs b/Limit.hs
index 13df5f6c27..4aeb8bafb4 100644
--- a/Limit.hs
+++ b/Limit.hs
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import qualified Utility.Matcher
 import qualified Remote
 import qualified Backend
 import LocationLog
+import Utility
 
 type Limit = Utility.Matcher.Token (FilePath -> Annex Bool)
 
@@ -73,3 +74,17 @@ addIn name = do
 		handle u (Just (key, _)) = do
 			us <- keyLocations key
 			return $ u `elem` us
+
+{- Adds a limit to skip files not believed to have the specified number
+ - of copies. -}
+addCopies :: String -> Annex ()
+addCopies num = do
+	case readMaybe num :: Maybe Int of
+		Nothing -> error "bad number for --copies"
+		Just n -> addlimit $ check n
+	where
+		check n f = Backend.lookupFile f >>= handle n
+		handle _ Nothing = return False
+		handle n (Just (key, _)) = do
+			us <- keyLocations key
+			return $ length us >= n
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 0b698bc66f..638661f735 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ git-annex (3.20110916) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
   * Arbitrarily complex expressions can be built to limit the files git-annex
     operates on, by combining the options --not --and --or -( and -)
     Example: git annex get --exclude '*.mp3' --and --not -( --in usbdrive --or --in archive -)
+  * --copies=N can be used to make git-annex only operate on files with
+    the specified number of copies. (And --not --copies=N for the inverse.)
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:25:51 -0400
 
diff --git a/doc/git-annex.mdwn b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
index 03277c6a0e..836e782cde 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
@@ -434,6 +434,11 @@ file contents are present at either of two repositories.
   The repository should be specified using the name of a configured remote,
   or the UUID or description of a repository.
 
+* --copies=number
+
+  Matches only files that git-annex believes to have the specified number
+  of copies.
+
 * --not
 
   Inverts the next file matching option. For example, to only act on