diff --git a/Command/AddUrl.hs b/Command/AddUrl.hs
index 46584f0d81..600a6169d8 100644
--- a/Command/AddUrl.hs
+++ b/Command/AddUrl.hs
@@ -17,26 +17,39 @@ import qualified Annex
 import qualified Backend.URL
 import Annex.Content
 import Logs.Web
+import qualified Option
 
 def :: [Command]
-def = [command "addurl" (paramRepeating paramUrl) seek "add urls to annex"]
+def = [withOptions [fileOption] $
+	command "addurl" (paramRepeating paramUrl) seek "add urls to annex"]
+
+fileOption :: Option
+fileOption = Option.field [] "file" paramFile "specify what file the url is added to"
 
 seek :: [CommandSeek]
-seek = [withStrings start]
+seek = [withField fileOption return $ \f ->
+	withStrings $ start f]
 
-start :: String -> CommandStart
-start s = notBareRepo $ go $ parseURI s
+start :: Maybe FilePath -> String -> CommandStart
+start optfile s = notBareRepo $ go $ parseURI s
 	where
 		go Nothing = error $ "bad url " ++ s
 		go (Just url) = do
-			file <- liftIO $ url2file url
+			let file = fromMaybe (url2file url) optfile
 			showStart "addurl" file
 			next $ perform s file
 
 perform :: String -> FilePath -> CommandPerform
-perform url file = do
-	fast <- Annex.getState Annex.fast
-	if fast then nodownload url file else download url file
+perform url file = ifAnnexed file addurl geturl
+	where
+		geturl = do
+			whenM (liftIO $ doesFileExist file) $
+				error $ "already have this url in " ++ file
+			fast <- Annex.getState Annex.fast
+			if fast then nodownload url file else download url file
+		addurl (key, _backend) = do
+			setUrlPresent key url
+			next $ return True
 
 download :: String -> FilePath -> CommandPerform
 download url file = do
@@ -60,12 +73,8 @@ nodownload url file = do
 	setUrlPresent key url
 	next $ Command.Add.cleanup file key False
 
-url2file :: URI -> IO FilePath
-url2file url = do
-	whenM (doesFileExist file) $
-		error $ "already have this url in " ++ file
-	return file
+url2file :: URI -> FilePath
+url2file url = escape $ uriRegName auth ++ uriPath url ++ uriQuery url
 	where
-		file = escape $ uriRegName auth ++ uriPath url ++ uriQuery url
 		escape = replace "/" "_" . replace "?" "_"
 		auth = fromMaybe (error $ "bad url " ++ show url) $ uriAuthority url
diff --git a/Usage.hs b/Usage.hs
index 34c344b183..a33f6f311b 100644
--- a/Usage.hs
+++ b/Usage.hs
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ paramDate :: String
 paramDate = "DATE"
 paramFormat :: String
 paramFormat = "FORMAT"
+paramFile :: String
+paramFile = "FILE"
 paramKeyValue :: String
 paramKeyValue = "K=V"
 paramNothing :: String
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index ad7121da24..2f9d79939d 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -11,6 +11,11 @@ git-annex (3.20120124) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     This version can only be built with ghc 7.4 or newer.
   * S3: Fix irrefutable pattern failure when accessing encrypted S3
     credentials.
+  * addurl: Added a --file option, which can be used to specify what
+    file the url is added to. This can be used to override the default
+    filename that is used when adding an url, which is based on the url.
+    Or, when the file already exists, the url is recorded as another
+    location of the file.
 
  -- Joey Hess <joeyh@debian.org>  Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:21:55 -0400
 
diff --git a/doc/git-annex.mdwn b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
index 148b6336de..9232bf0208 100644
--- a/doc/git-annex.mdwn
+++ b/doc/git-annex.mdwn
@@ -145,9 +145,14 @@ subdirectories).
 
 * addurl [url ...]
 
-  Downloads each url to a file, which is added to the annex.
+  Downloads each url to its own file, which is added to the annex.
 
-  To avoid immediately downloading the url, specify --fast
+  To avoid immediately downloading the url, specify --fast.
+
+  To specify what file the url is added to, specify --file. This changes
+  the behavior; now all the specified urls are recorded as alternate
+  locations from which the file can be downloaded. In this mode, addurl
+  can be used both to add new files, or to add urls to existing files.
 
 # REPOSITORY SETUP COMMANDS