diff --git a/ivy/Credentials.scala b/ivy/Credentials.scala
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4ad3c488
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ivy/Credentials.scala
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/* sbt -- Simple Build Tool
+ * Copyright 2009 Mark Harrah
+ */
+package sbt
+
+import java.io.File
+import org.apache.ivy.util.url.CredentialsStore
+
+object Credentials
+{
+	/** Add the provided credentials to Ivy's credentials cache.*/
+	def add(realm: String, host: String, userName: String, passwd: String): Unit =
+		CredentialsStore.INSTANCE.addCredentials(realm, host, userName, passwd)
+	/** Load credentials from the given file into Ivy's credentials cache.*/
+	def apply(path: File, log: Logger): Unit =
+		if(path.exists)
+		{
+			val properties = read(path)
+			def get(keys: List[String]) = keys.flatMap(properties.get).firstOption.toRight(keys.head + " not specified in credentials file: " + path)
+
+			List.separate( List(RealmKeys, HostKeys, UserKeys, PasswordKeys).map(get) ) match
+			{
+				case (Nil, List(realm, host, user, pass)) => add(realm, host, user, pass); None
+				case (errors, _) => log.warn(errors.mkString("\n"))
+			}
+		}
+		else
+			log.warn("Credentials file " + path + " does not exist")
+
+	private[this] val RealmKeys = List("realm")
+	private[this] val HostKeys = List("host", "hostname")
+	private[this] val UserKeys = List("user", "user.name", "username")
+	private[this] val PasswordKeys = List("password", "pwd", "pass", "passwd")
+
+		import collection.JavaConversions._
+	private[this] def read(from: File): Map[String,String] =
+	{
+		val properties = new java.util.Properties
+		IO.load(properties, from)
+		properties map { case (k,v) => (k.toString, v.toString) } toMap;
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file