diff --git a/util/io/FileUtilities.scala b/util/io/FileUtilities.scala
index db879d5ad..0f4064be3 100644
--- a/util/io/FileUtilities.scala
+++ b/util/io/FileUtilities.scala
@@ -407,4 +407,36 @@ object FileUtilities
 
 	/** Splits a String around path separator characters. */
 	def pathSplit(s: String) = PathSeparatorPattern.split(s)
+
+	/** Move the provided files to a temporary location.
+	*   If 'f' returns normally, delete the files.
+	*   If 'f' throws an Exception, return the files to their original location.*/
+	def stash[T](files: Set[File])(f: => T): T =
+		withTemporaryDirectory { dir =>
+			val stashed = stashLocations(dir, files.toArray)
+			move(stashed)
+
+			try { f } catch { case e: Exception =>
+				try { move(stashed.map(_.swap)); throw e }
+				catch { case _: Exception => throw e }
+			}
+		}
+
+	private def stashLocations(dir: File, files: Array[File]) =
+		for( (file, index) <- files.zipWithIndex) yield
+			(file, new File(dir, index.toHexString))
+
+	def move(files: Iterable[(File, File)]): Unit =
+		files.foreach(Function.tupled(move))
+		
+	def move(a: File, b: File): Unit =
+	{
+		if(b.exists)
+			delete(b)
+		if(!a.renameTo(b))
+		{
+			copyFile(a, b)
+			delete(a)
+		}
+	}
 }
diff --git a/util/io/src/test/scala/StashSpec.scala b/util/io/src/test/scala/StashSpec.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df76165d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/util/io/src/test/scala/StashSpec.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+/* sbt -- Simple Build Tool
+ * Copyright 2010 Mark Harrah */
+
+package xsbt
+
+import org.specs._
+
+import FileUtilities._
+import java.io.File
+import Function.tupled
+
+object CheckStash extends Specification
+{
+	"stash" should {
+		"handle empty files" in {
+			stash(Set()) { }
+		}
+		
+		"move files during execution" in {
+			WithFiles(TestFiles : _*) ( checkMove )
+		}
+		
+		"restore files on exceptions but not errors" in {
+			WithFiles(TestFiles : _*) ( checkRestore )
+		}
+	}
+	
+	def checkRestore(seq: Seq[File])
+	{
+		allCorrect(seq) 
+		
+		stash0(seq, throw new TestRuntimeException) must beFalse
+		allCorrect(seq)
+		
+		stash0(seq, throw new TestException) must beFalse
+		allCorrect(seq)
+		
+		stash0(seq, throw new TestError) must beFalse
+		noneExist(seq)
+	}
+	def checkMove(seq: Seq[File])
+	{
+		allCorrect(seq)
+		stash0(seq, ()) must beTrue
+		noneExist(seq)
+	}
+	def stash0(seq: Seq[File], post: => Unit): Boolean =
+		try
+		{
+			stash(Set() ++ seq) {
+				noneExist(seq)
+				post
+			}
+			true
+		}
+		catch {
+			case _: TestError | _: TestException | _: TestRuntimeException => false
+		}
+	
+	def allCorrect(s: Seq[File]) = (s.toList zip TestFiles.toList).forall(tupled(correct))
+	def correct(check: File, ref: (File, String)) =
+	{
+		check.exists must beTrue
+		read(check) must beEqual(ref._2)
+	}
+	def noneExist(s: Seq[File]) = s.forall(!_.exists) must beTrue
+	
+	lazy val TestFiles =
+		Seq(
+			"a/b/c" -> "content1",
+			"a/b/e" -> "content1",
+			"c" -> "",
+			"e/g" -> "asdf",
+			"a/g/c" -> "other"
+		) map {
+			case (f, c) => (new File(f), c)
+		}
+}
+class TestError extends Error
+class TestRuntimeException extends RuntimeException
+class TestException extends Exception
\ No newline at end of file