diff --git a/core/commands/block.go b/core/commands/block.go
index bc892594247..8fe3ac3e612 100644
--- a/core/commands/block.go
+++ b/core/commands/block.go
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ than 'sha2-256' or format to anything other than 'v0' will result in CIDv1.
 		cmdkit.StringOption(blockFormatOptionName, "f", "cid format for blocks to be created with."),
 		cmdkit.StringOption(mhtypeOptionName, "multihash hash function").WithDefault("sha2-256"),
 		cmdkit.IntOption(mhlenOptionName, "multihash hash length").WithDefault(-1),
+		cmdkit.BoolOption(pinOptionName, "pin added blocks recursively").WithDefault(false),
 	},
 	Run: func(req *cmds.Request, res cmds.ResponseEmitter, env cmds.Environment) error {
 		api, err := cmdenv.GetApi(env, req)
@@ -178,7 +179,12 @@ than 'sha2-256' or format to anything other than 'v0' will result in CIDv1.
 			}
 		}
 
-		p, err := api.Block().Put(req.Context, file, options.Block.Hash(mhtval, mhlen), options.Block.Format(format))
+		pin, _ := req.Options[pinOptionName].(bool)
+
+		p, err := api.Block().Put(req.Context, file,
+			options.Block.Hash(mhtval, mhlen),
+			options.Block.Format(format),
+			options.Block.Pin(pin))
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/core/coreapi/block.go b/core/coreapi/block.go
index fafd24755f4..1a75630aaa1 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/block.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/block.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	util "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks/blockstoreutil"
 	coreiface "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreapi/interface"
 	caopts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreapi/interface/options"
+	pin "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
 
 	cid "gx/ipfs/QmR8BauakNcBa3RbE4nbQu76PDiJgoQgz8AJdhJuiU4TAw/go-cid"
 	blocks "gx/ipfs/QmWoXtvgC8inqFkAATB7cp2Dax7XBi9VDvSg9RCCZufmRk/go-block-format"
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ type BlockStat struct {
 }
 
 func (api *BlockAPI) Put(ctx context.Context, src io.Reader, opts ...caopts.BlockPutOption) (coreiface.BlockStat, error) {
-	_, pref, err := caopts.BlockPutOptions(opts...)
+	settings, pref, err := caopts.BlockPutOptions(opts...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -43,11 +44,19 @@ func (api *BlockAPI) Put(ctx context.Context, src io.Reader, opts ...caopts.Bloc
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if settings.Pin {
+		defer api.blockstore.PinLock().Unlock()
+	}
+
 	err = api.blocks.AddBlock(b)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if settings.Pin {
+		api.pinning.PinWithMode(b.Cid(), pin.Recursive)
+	}
+
 	return &BlockStat{path: coreiface.IpldPath(b.Cid()), size: len(data)}, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/core/coreapi/interface/options/block.go b/core/coreapi/interface/options/block.go
index ea4ae26bb61..40dfba79ab2 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/interface/options/block.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/interface/options/block.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ type BlockPutSettings struct {
 	Codec    string
 	MhType   uint64
 	MhLength int
+	Pin      bool
 }
 
 type BlockRmSettings struct {
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ func BlockPutOptions(opts ...BlockPutOption) (*BlockPutSettings, cid.Prefix, err
 		Codec:    "",
 		MhType:   mh.SHA2_256,
 		MhLength: -1,
+		Pin:      false,
 	}
 
 	for _, opt := range opts {
@@ -105,6 +107,15 @@ func (blockOpts) Hash(mhType uint64, mhLen int) BlockPutOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// Pin is an option for Block.Put which specifies whether to (recursively) pin
+// added blocks
+func (blockOpts) Pin(pin bool) BlockPutOption {
+	return func(settings *BlockPutSettings) error {
+		settings.Pin = pin
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // Force is an option for Block.Rm which, when set to true, will ignore
 // non-existing blocks
 func (blockOpts) Force(force bool) BlockRmOption {
diff --git a/core/coreapi/interface/tests/block.go b/core/coreapi/interface/tests/block.go
index 427ad3357be..c2ee70a3a6e 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/interface/tests/block.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/interface/tests/block.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ func (tp *provider) TestBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("TestBlockGet", tp.TestBlockGet)
 	t.Run("TestBlockRm", tp.TestBlockRm)
 	t.Run("TestBlockStat", tp.TestBlockStat)
+	t.Run("TestBlockPin", tp.TestBlockPin)
 }
 
 func (tp *provider) TestBlockPut(t *testing.T) {
@@ -203,3 +204,40 @@ func (tp *provider) TestBlockStat(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("length doesn't match")
 	}
 }
+
+func (tp *provider) TestBlockPin(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	api, err := tp.makeAPI(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+
+	_, err = api.Block().Put(ctx, strings.NewReader(`Hello`))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if pins, err := api.Pin().Ls(ctx); err != nil || len(pins) != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected 0 pins")
+	}
+
+	res, err := api.Block().Put(ctx, strings.NewReader(`Hello`), opt.Block.Pin(true))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	pins, err := api.Pin().Ls(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	if len(pins) != 1 {
+		t.Fatal("expected 1 pin")
+	}
+	if pins[0].Type() != "recursive" {
+		t.Error("expected a recursive pin")
+	}
+	if pins[0].Path().String() != res.Path().String() {
+		t.Error("pin path didn't match")
+	}
+}