diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.1in b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.1in
index 1ac5161efb..b430909f03 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.1in
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.1in
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ options.
 .PP
 \fBtex2lyx\fR [ \fB\-userdir\fR \fIuserdir\fR ] [ \fB\-systemdir\fR \fIsystemdir\fR ]
 [ \fB\-n\fR ] [ \fB\-c\fR \fItextclass\fR ] [\ \fB\-s\fR\ \fIsfile1\fR[,\fIsfile2\fR...]] [
-\fB\-roundtrip\fR ] \fIinputfile\fR [ \fIoutputfile\fR ]
+\fB\-roundtrip\fR ] [ \fB\-copyfiles\fR ] \fIinputfile\fR [ \fIoutputfile\fR ]
 .\" .PP
 .\" \fBtex2lyx\fR [ \fB\-userdir\fR \fIuserdir\fR ] [ \fB\-systemdir\fR \fIsystemdir\fR ]
 .\" [\ \fB\-r\fR\ \fIrenv1\fR[,\fIrenv2\fR...]] [\ \fB\-s\fR\ \fIsfile1\fR[,\fIsfile2\fR...]]
@@ -70,12 +70,21 @@ Specify a user directory. Normally, you shouldn't need this. Your LyX user direc
 chosen. Cf. the section \f(CWFILES\fR for details.
 .TP
 .BI \-roundtrip
-Call LyX to re-export the created output file to LaTeX. The output file name
-is always determined automatically to avoid over-writing the input file by
-accident: If the input file is named \fIfoo.tex\fR the output file will be
+Call LyX to re-export the created output file to LaTeX. If the output file name
+is not given it is determined automatically to avoid over-writing the input file
+by accident: If the input file is named \fIfoo.tex\fR the output file will be
 named \fIfoo.lyx.lyx\fR, and the re-exported file will be named
 \fIfoo.lyx.tex\fR.
 .TP
+.BI \-copyfiles
+Copy all included files below the input directory and that \fBtex2lyx\fR is
+aware of to the output directory if the output file is located in a different
+directory than the input file. This is useful if you want to ensure that no
+included file is overwritten (either in roundtrip mode or by a later export
+from LyX). Please note that the resulting document may be uncompilable. This
+happens if it needs files that \fBtex2lyx\fR does not know about and therefore
+does not copy to the output directory.
+.TP
 .BI \-help
 Help. Print out usage information and quit.
 .TP
diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.cpp b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.cpp
index a049aab6f5..384c22836d 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.cpp
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.cpp
@@ -446,6 +446,7 @@ void read_syntaxfile(FileName const & file_name)
 string documentclass;
 string default_encoding;
 string syntaxfile;
+bool copy_files = false;
 bool overwrite_files = false;
 int error_code = 0;
 
@@ -458,6 +459,7 @@ int parse_help(string const &, string const &)
 	cerr << "Usage: tex2lyx [options] infile.tex [outfile.lyx]\n"
 		"Options:\n"
 		"\t-c textclass       Declare the textclass.\n"
+		"\t-copyfiles         Copy all included files to the directory of outfile.lyx.\n"
 		"\t-e encoding        Set the default encoding (latex name).\n"
 		"\t-f                 Force overwrite of .lyx files.\n"
 		"\t-help              Print this message and quit.\n"
@@ -571,6 +573,13 @@ int parse_roundtrip(string const &, string const &)
 }
 
 
+int parse_copyfiles(string const &, string const &)
+{
+	copy_files = true;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
 void easyParse(int & argc, char * argv[])
 {
 	map<string, cmd_helper> cmdmap;
@@ -589,6 +598,7 @@ void easyParse(int & argc, char * argv[])
 	cmdmap["-sysdir"] = parse_sysdir;
 	cmdmap["-userdir"] = parse_userdir;
 	cmdmap["-roundtrip"] = parse_roundtrip;
+	cmdmap["-copyfiles"] = parse_copyfiles;
 
 	for (int i = 1; i < argc; ++i) {
 		map<string, cmd_helper>::const_iterator it
@@ -619,21 +629,42 @@ void easyParse(int & argc, char * argv[])
 
 
 // path of the first parsed file
-string masterFilePath;
+string masterFilePathLyX;
+string masterFilePathTeX;
 // path of the currently parsed file
-string parentFilePath;
+string parentFilePathTeX;
 
 } // anonymous namespace
 
 
-string getMasterFilePath()
+string getMasterFilePath(bool input)
 {
-	return masterFilePath;
+	return input ? masterFilePathTeX : masterFilePathLyX;
 }
 
-string getParentFilePath()
+string getParentFilePath(bool input)
 {
-	return parentFilePath;
+	if (input)
+		return parentFilePathTeX;
+	string const rel = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(masterFilePathTeX),
+	                                       from_utf8(parentFilePathTeX)));
+	if (rel.substr(0, 3) == "../") {
+		// The parent is not below the master - keep the path
+		return parentFilePathTeX;
+	}
+	return makeAbsPath(rel, masterFilePathLyX).absFileName();
+}
+
+
+bool copyFiles()
+{
+	return copy_files;
+}
+
+
+bool overwriteFiles()
+{
+	return overwrite_files;
 }
 
 
@@ -645,7 +676,7 @@ namespace {
  *  be used more than once for included documents.
  *  Caution: Overwrites the existing preamble settings if the new document
  *  contains a preamble.
- *  You must ensure that \p parentFilePath is properly set before calling
+ *  You must ensure that \p parentFilePathTeX is properly set before calling
  *  this function!
  */
 bool tex2lyx(idocstream & is, ostream & os, string encoding)
@@ -720,10 +751,10 @@ bool tex2lyx(FileName const & infilename, ostream & os, string const & encoding)
 		     << "\" for reading." << endl;
 		return false;
 	}
-	string const oldParentFilePath = parentFilePath;
-	parentFilePath = onlyPath(infilename.absFileName());
+	string const oldParentFilePath = parentFilePathTeX;
+	parentFilePathTeX = onlyPath(infilename.absFileName());
 	bool retval = tex2lyx(is, os, encoding);
-	parentFilePath = oldParentFilePath;
+	parentFilePathTeX = oldParentFilePath;
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -826,20 +857,28 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	infilename = makeAbsPath(infilename).absFileName();
 
 	string outfilename;
-	if (roundtrip) {
-		if (argc > 2) {
-			// Do not allow a user supplied output filename
-			// (otherwise it could easily happen that LyX would
-			// overwrite the original .tex file)
-			cerr << "Error: output filename must not be given in roundtrip mode."
-			     << endl;
-			return EXIT_FAILURE;
-		}
-		outfilename = changeExtension(infilename, ".lyx.lyx");
-	} else if (argc > 2) {
+	if (argc > 2) {
 		outfilename = internal_path(os::utf8_argv(2));
 		if (outfilename != "-")
 			outfilename = makeAbsPath(outfilename).absFileName();
+		if (roundtrip) {
+			if (outfilename == "-") {
+				cerr << "Error: Writing to standard output is "
+				        "not supported in roundtrip mode."
+				     << endl;
+				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+			}
+			string texfilename = changeExtension(outfilename, ".tex");
+			if (equivalent(FileName(infilename), FileName(texfilename))) {
+				cerr << "Error: The input file `" << infilename
+				     << "´ would be overwritten by the TeX file exported from `"
+				     << outfilename << "´ in roundtrip mode." << endl;
+				return EXIT_FAILURE;
+			}
+		}
+	} else if (roundtrip) {
+		// avoid overwriting the input file
+		outfilename = changeExtension(infilename, ".lyx.lyx");
 	} else
 		outfilename = changeExtension(infilename, ".lyx");
 
@@ -876,17 +915,22 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
 	theModuleList.read();
 
 	// The real work now.
-	masterFilePath = onlyPath(infilename);
-	parentFilePath = masterFilePath;
+	masterFilePathTeX = onlyPath(infilename);
+	parentFilePathTeX = masterFilePathTeX;
 	if (outfilename == "-") {
+		// assume same directory as input file
+		masterFilePathLyX = masterFilePathTeX;
 		if (tex2lyx(FileName(infilename), cout, default_encoding))
 			return EXIT_SUCCESS;
-	} else if (roundtrip) {
-		if (tex2tex(infilename, FileName(outfilename), default_encoding))
-			return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 	} else {
-		if (tex2lyx(infilename, FileName(outfilename), default_encoding))
-			return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+		masterFilePathLyX = onlyPath(outfilename);
+		if (roundtrip) {
+			if (tex2tex(infilename, FileName(outfilename), default_encoding))
+				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+		} else {
+			if (tex2lyx(infilename, FileName(outfilename), default_encoding))
+				return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+		}
 	}
 	return EXIT_FAILURE;
 }
diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.h b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.h
index 66a60fd12e..a471a0f3f4 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.h
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/tex2lyx.h
@@ -173,10 +173,14 @@ extern bool is_nonCJKJapanese;
 /// LyX format that is created by tex2lyx
 extern int const LYX_FORMAT;
 
-/// path of the master .tex file
-extern std::string getMasterFilePath();
-/// path of the currently processed .tex file
-extern std::string getParentFilePath();
+/// Absolute path of the master .lyx or .tex file
+extern std::string getMasterFilePath(bool input);
+/// Absolute path of the currently processed .lyx or .tex file
+extern std::string getParentFilePath(bool input);
+/// Is it allowed to overwrite existing files?
+extern bool overwriteFiles();
+/// Do we need to copy included files to the output directory?
+extern bool copyFiles();
 
 
 /*!
diff --git a/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp b/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
index 53836804b2..db9f9b5adc 100644
--- a/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
+++ b/src/tex2lyx/text.cpp
@@ -1834,15 +1834,88 @@ string const normalize_filename(string const & name)
 
 /// Convert \p name from TeX convention (relative to master file) to LyX
 /// convention (relative to .lyx file) if it is relative
-void fix_relative_filename(string & name)
+void fix_child_filename(string & name)
 {
-	if (FileName::isAbsolute(name))
-		return;
+	string const absMasterTeX = getMasterFilePath(true);
+	bool const isabs = FileName::isAbsolute(name);
+	// convert from "relative to .tex master" to absolute original path
+	if (!isabs)
+		name = makeAbsPath(name, absMasterTeX).absFileName();
+	bool copyfile = copyFiles();
+	// convert from absolute original path to "relative to master file"
+	string const rel = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(name),
+	                                       from_utf8(absMasterTeX)));
+	// Do not copy if the file is not in or below the directory of the
+	// master, since in this case the new path might be impossible to
+	// create. Example:
+	// absMasterTeX = "/foo/bar/"
+	// absMasterLyX = "/bar/"
+	// name = "/baz.eps" => new absolute name would be "/../baz.eps"
+	if (copyfile && rel.substr(0, 3) == "../")
+		copyfile = false;
+	string const absParentLyX = getParentFilePath(false);
+	if (copyfile) {
+		// re-interpret "relative to .tex file" as "relative to .lyx file"
+		// (is different if the master .lyx file resides in a
+		// different path than the master .tex file)
+		string const absMasterLyX = getMasterFilePath(false);
+		name = makeAbsPath(rel, absMasterLyX).absFileName();
+		if (!isabs) {
+			// convert from absolute original path to
+			// "relative to .lyx file"
+			name = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(name),
+			                           from_utf8(absParentLyX)));
+		}
+	}
+	else if (!isabs) {
+		// convert from absolute original path to "relative to .lyx file"
+		name = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(name),
+		                           from_utf8(absParentLyX)));
+	}
+}
 
-	string const absMaster = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
-	string const absParent = makeAbsPath(getParentFilePath()).absFileName();
-	string const abs = makeAbsPath(name, absMaster).absFileName();
-	name = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(abs), from_utf8(absParent)));
+
+void copy_file(FileName const & src, string dstname)
+{
+	if (!copyFiles())
+		return;
+	string const absParent = getParentFilePath(false);
+	FileName dst;
+	if (FileName::isAbsolute(dstname))
+		dst = FileName(dstname);
+	else
+		dst = makeAbsPath(dstname, absParent);
+	string const absMaster = getMasterFilePath(false);
+	string const rel = to_utf8(makeRelPath(from_utf8(dst.absFileName()),
+	                                       from_utf8(absMaster)));
+	// Do not copy if the file is not in or below the directory of the
+	// master (see above)
+	if (rel.substr(0, 3) == "../")
+		return;
+	FileName const srcpath = src.onlyPath();
+	FileName const dstpath = dst.onlyPath();
+	if (equivalent(srcpath, dstpath))
+		return;
+	if (!dstpath.isDirectory()) {
+		if (!dstpath.createPath()) {
+			cerr << "Warning: Could not create directory for file `"
+			     << dst.absFileName() << "´." << endl;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+	if (dst.isReadableFile()) {
+		if (overwriteFiles())
+			cerr << "Warning: Overwriting existing file `"
+			     << dst.absFileName() << "´." << endl;
+		else {
+			cerr << "Warning: Not overwriting existing file `"
+			     << dst.absFileName() << "´." << endl;
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+	if (!src.copyTo(dst))
+		cerr << "Warning: Could not copy file `" << src.absFileName()
+		     << "´ to `" << dst.absFileName() << "´." << endl;
 }
 
 
@@ -2533,7 +2606,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 						skip_braces(p);
 						p.get_token();
 						string name = normalize_filename(p.verbatim_item());
-						string const path = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
+						string const path = getMasterFilePath(true);
 						// We want to preserve relative / absolute filenames,
 						// therefore path is only used for testing
 						// The file extension is in every case ".tex".
@@ -2548,9 +2621,11 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 							if (!Gnumeric_name.empty())
 								name = Gnumeric_name;
 						}
-						if (makeAbsPath(name, path).exists())
-							fix_relative_filename(name);
-						else
+						FileName const absname = makeAbsPath(name, path);
+						if (absname.exists()) {
+							fix_child_filename(name);
+							copy_file(absname, name);
+						} else
 							cerr << "Warning: Could not find file '"
 							     << name << "'." << endl;
 						context.check_layout(os);
@@ -2560,7 +2635,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 						end_inset(os);
 						context.check_layout(os);
 						macro = false;
-						// register the packages that are automatically reloaded
+						// register the packages that are automatically loaded
 						// by the Gnumeric template
 						registerExternalTemplatePackages("GnumericSpreadsheet");
 					}
@@ -2760,7 +2835,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 				opts["clip"] = string();
 			string name = normalize_filename(p.verbatim_item());
 
-			string const path = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
+			string const path = getMasterFilePath(true);
 			// We want to preserve relative / absolute filenames,
 			// therefore path is only used for testing
 			if (!makeAbsPath(name, path).exists()) {
@@ -2795,9 +2870,11 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 				}
 			}
 
-			if (makeAbsPath(name, path).exists())
-				fix_relative_filename(name);
-			else
+			FileName const absname = makeAbsPath(name, path);
+			if (absname.exists()) {
+				fix_child_filename(name);
+				copy_file(absname, name);
+			} else
 				cerr << "Warning: Could not find graphics file '"
 				     << name << "'." << endl;
 
@@ -3725,7 +3802,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 				name += p.get_token().asInput();
 			context.check_layout(os);
 			string filename(normalize_filename(p.getArg('{', '}')));
-			string const path = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
+			string const path = getMasterFilePath(true);
 			// We want to preserve relative / absolute filenames,
 			// therefore path is only used for testing
 			if ((t.cs() == "include" || t.cs() == "input") &&
@@ -3743,13 +3820,13 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 			if (makeAbsPath(filename, path).exists()) {
 				string const abstexname =
 					makeAbsPath(filename, path).absFileName();
-				string const abslyxname =
-					changeExtension(abstexname, ".lyx");
 				string const absfigname =
 					changeExtension(abstexname, ".fig");
-				fix_relative_filename(filename);
+				fix_child_filename(filename);
 				string const lyxname =
 					changeExtension(filename, ".lyx");
+				string const abslyxname = makeAbsPath(
+					lyxname, getParentFilePath(false)).absFileName();
 				bool xfig = false;
 				external = FileName(absfigname).exists();
 				if (t.cs() == "input") {
@@ -3795,16 +3872,24 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 				}
 				if (external) {
 					outname = changeExtension(filename, ".fig");
+					FileName abssrc(changeExtension(abstexname, ".fig"));
+					copy_file(abssrc, outname);
 				} else if (xfig) {
 					// Don't try to convert, the result
 					// would be full of ERT.
 					outname = filename;
+					FileName abssrc(abstexname);
+					copy_file(abssrc, outname);
 				} else if (t.cs() != "verbatiminput" &&
 				    tex2lyx(abstexname, FileName(abslyxname),
 					    p.getEncoding())) {
 					outname = lyxname;
+					// no need to call copy_file
+					// tex2lyx creates the file
 				} else {
 					outname = filename;
+					FileName abssrc(abstexname);
+					copy_file(abssrc, outname);
 				}
 			} else {
 				cerr << "Warning: Could not find included file '"
@@ -4185,7 +4270,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 			vector<string> keys;
 			split_map(arg, opts, keys);
 			string name = normalize_filename(p.verbatim_item());
-			string const path = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
+			string const path = getMasterFilePath(true);
 			// We want to preserve relative / absolute filenames,
 			// therefore path is only used for testing
 			if (!makeAbsPath(name, path).exists()) {
@@ -4199,9 +4284,12 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 					pdflatex = true;
 				}
 			}
-			if (makeAbsPath(name, path).exists())
-				fix_relative_filename(name);
-			else
+			FileName const absname = makeAbsPath(name, path);
+			if (absname.exists())
+			{
+				fix_child_filename(name);
+				copy_file(absname, name);
+			} else
 				cerr << "Warning: Could not find file '"
 				     << name << "'." << endl;
 			// write output
@@ -4250,7 +4338,7 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 		else if (t.cs() == "loadgame") {
 			p.skip_spaces();
 			string name = normalize_filename(p.verbatim_item());
-			string const path = makeAbsPath(getMasterFilePath()).absFileName();
+			string const path = getMasterFilePath(true);
 			// We want to preserve relative / absolute filenames,
 			// therefore path is only used for testing
 			if (!makeAbsPath(name, path).exists()) {
@@ -4262,9 +4350,12 @@ void parse_text(Parser & p, ostream & os, unsigned flags, bool outer,
 				if (!lyxskak_name.empty())
 					name = lyxskak_name;
 			}
-			if (makeAbsPath(name, path).exists())
-				fix_relative_filename(name);
-			else
+			FileName const absname = makeAbsPath(name, path);
+			if (absname.exists())
+			{
+				fix_child_filename(name);
+				copy_file(absname, name);
+			} else
 				cerr << "Warning: Could not find file '"
 				     << name << "'." << endl;
 			context.check_layout(os);