diff --git a/daemon/cpmv.c b/daemon/cpmv.c
index 516fa978e..f91c9afcb 100644
--- a/daemon/cpmv.c
+++ b/daemon/cpmv.c
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ do_cp_a (const char *src, const char *dest)
   return cpmv_cmd (str_cp, "-a", src, dest);
 }
 
+int
+do_cp_r (const char *src, const char *dest)
+{
+  return cpmv_cmd (str_cp, "-rP", src, dest);
+}
+
 int
 do_mv (const char *src, const char *dest)
 {
diff --git a/generator/actions.ml b/generator/actions.ml
index b0b4be7bc..a22d43d26 100644
--- a/generator/actions.ml
+++ b/generator/actions.ml
@@ -11146,6 +11146,28 @@ about the contents of this file, see L<extlinux(1)>.
 
 See also C<guestfs_syslinux>." };
 
+  { defaults with
+    name = "cp_r";
+    style = RErr, [Pathname "src"; Pathname "dest"], [];
+    proc_nr = Some 401;
+    tests = [
+      InitScratchFS, Always, TestResultString (
+        [["mkdir"; "/cp_r1"];
+         ["mkdir"; "/cp_r2"];
+         ["write"; "/cp_r1/file"; "file content"];
+         ["cp_r"; "/cp_r1"; "/cp_r2"];
+         ["cat"; "/cp_r2/cp_r1/file"]], "file content")
+    ];
+    shortdesc = "copy a file or directory recursively";
+    longdesc = "\
+This copies a file or directory from C<src> to C<dest>
+recursively using the C<cp -rP> command.
+
+Most users should use C<guestfs_cp_a> instead.  This command
+is useful when you don't want to preserve permissions, because
+the target filesystem does not support it (primarily when
+writing to DOS FAT filesystems)." };
+
 ]
 
 (* Non-API meta-commands available only in guestfish.
diff --git a/src/MAX_PROC_NR b/src/MAX_PROC_NR
index d411bb7c1..066cbfe90 100644
--- a/src/MAX_PROC_NR
+++ b/src/MAX_PROC_NR
@@ -1 +1 @@
-400
+401