diff --git a/lib/Makefile.am b/lib/Makefile.am
index 00b8174874..ae317d7ad3 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/Makefile.am
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ dist_scripts_DATA = \
 	scripts/fen2ascii.py \
 	scripts/fig2pdftex.sh \
 	scripts/fig2pstex.sh \
-	scripts/fig_copy.sh \
+	scripts/fig_copy.py \
 	scripts/layout2layout.py \
 	scripts/legacy_lyxpreview2ppm.py \
 	scripts/listerrors \
diff --git a/lib/configure.py b/lib/configure.py
index 8748943e85..42a773e0ba 100644
--- a/lib/configure.py
+++ b/lib/configure.py
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ def checkOtherEntries():
 \print_spool_command "lpr"''',
             ''])
     # Add the rest of the entries (no checkProg is required)
-    addToRC(r'''\copier    fig        "sh $$s/scripts/fig_copy.sh $$i $$o"
+    addToRC(r'''\copier    fig        "python $$s/scripts/fig_copy.py $$i $$o"
 \copier    pstex      "python $$s/scripts/tex_copy.py $$i $$o $$l"
 \copier    pdftex     "python $$s/scripts/tex_copy.py $$i $$o $$l"
 ''')
diff --git a/lib/scripts/fig_copy.py b/lib/scripts/fig_copy.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3f8524c1c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/scripts/fig_copy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python
+# -*- coding: iso-8859-15 -*-
+
+# file fig_copy.py
+# This file is part of LyX, the document processor.
+# Licence details can be found in the file COPYING.
+#
+# \author Angus Leeming
+# \author Bo Peng
+#
+# Full author contact details are available in file CREDITS
+
+# Usage:
+# fig_copy.py <from file> <to file>
+
+# This script will copy an XFIG .fig file "$1" to "$2". In the process,
+# it will modify the contents of the .fig file so that the names of any
+# picture files that are stored as relative paths are replaced
+# with the absolute path.
+
+import os, sys
+
+if len(sys.argv) != 3:
+    print >> sys.stderr, "Usage: fig_copy.sh <from file> <to file>"
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+if not os.path.isfile(sys.argv[1]):
+    print >> sys.stderr, "Unable to read", sys.argv[1]
+    sys.exit(1)
+
+from_dir = os.path.split(os.path.realpath(sys.argv[1]))[0]
+to_dir = os.path.split(os.path.realpath(sys.argv[2]))[0]
+
+# The work is trivial if "to" and "from" are in the same directory.
+if from_dir == to_dir:
+    import shutil
+    try:
+        shutil.copy(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[2])
+    except:
+        sys.exit(1)
+    sys.exit(0)
+
+# Ok, they're in different directories. The .fig file must be modified.
+import re
+
+# We're looking for a line of text that defines an entry of
+# type '2' (a polyline), subtype '5' (an external picture file).
+# The line has 14 other data fields.
+patternline = re.compile(r'^\s*2\s+5(\s+[0-9.+-]+){14}\s*$')
+emptyline   = re.compile(r'^\s*$')
+commentline = re.compile(r'^\s*#.*$')
+# we allow space in path name
+figureline  = re.compile(r'^(\s*[01]\s*)(\S[\S ]*)(\s*)$')
+
+input = open(sys.argv[1], 'r')
+output = open(sys.argv[2], 'w')
+
+# path in the fig is relative to this path
+os.chdir(from_dir)
+
+found = False
+for line in input.xreadlines():
+    if found and not emptyline.match(line) and not commentline.match(line):
+        # The contents of the final line containing the file name
+        # are ' X <file name>', where X = 0 or 1.
+        # We extract filename and replace it with the absolute filename.
+        (pre, path, post) = figureline.match(line).groups()
+        line = pre + os.path.realpath(path) + post
+        found = False
+    elif patternline.match(line):
+        found = True
+    print >> output, line,
+
+input.close()
+output.close()
diff --git a/lib/scripts/fig_copy.sh b/lib/scripts/fig_copy.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index ef4fbb7d6a..0000000000
--- a/lib/scripts/fig_copy.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,82 +0,0 @@
-#! /bin/sh
-
-# file fig_copy.sh
-# This file is part of LyX, the document processor.
-# Licence details can be found in the file COPYING.
-#
-# author Angus Leeming
-#
-# Full author contact details are available in file CREDITS
-
-# Usage:
-# fig_copy.sh <from file> <to file>
-
-# This script will copy an XFIG .fig file "$1" to "$2". In the process,
-# it will modify the contents of the .fig file so that the names of any
-# picture files that are stored as relative paths are replaced
-# with the absolute path.
-
-test $# -eq 2 || {
-    echo "Usage: fig_copy.sh <from file> <to file>" >&2
-    exit 1
-}
-
-
-test -r "$1" || {
-    echo "Unable to read $1" >&2
-    exit 1
-}
-
-
-# The work is trivial if "to" and "from" are in the same directory.
-PRESENT_DIR=$PWD
-
-cd `dirname "$1"` || exit $?
-FROM_DIR=$PWD
-cd "$PRESENT_DIR" || exit $?
-
-cd `dirname "$2"` || exit $?
-TO_DIR=$PWD
-cd "$PRESENT_DIR" || exit $?
-
-test "$FROM_DIR" = "$TO_DIR" && {
-    'cp' -f "$1" "$2"
-    exit $?
-}
-
-
-# Ok, they're in different directories. The .fig file must be modified.
-
-# WS is a space and a tab character.
-WS=' 	'
-
-TRANSFORMATION="
-# We're looking for a line of text that defines an entry of
-# type '2' (a polyline), subtype '5' (an external picture file).
-# The line has 14 other data fields.
-/^[${WS}]*2[${WS}]\{1,\}5\([${WS}]\{1,\}[^${WS}]\{1,\}\)\{14\}/{
-
-:loop
-# If we're not on the last line, get the next line.
-# It's this that defines the file itself.
-$!{
-N
-
-# Does the new line contain any data?
-# If not, loop
-/\n[${WS}]*$/bloop
-
-# Does the new line contain only a comment?
-# If so, loop
-/\n[${WS}]*#[^\n]*$/bloop
-
-# The contents of the final line containing the file name
-# are ' X <file name>', where X = 0 or 1.
-# If the file name does not begin with '/', then insert the absolute path.
-# Note that this test will work even if the file name contains spaces.
-s@\(.*\n[${WS}]*[01][${WS}]\{1,\}\)\([^/]\)@\1${FROM_DIR}/\2@
-}
-}"
-
-sed "${TRANSFORMATION}" "$1" > "$2"
-exit $?