diff --git a/core/coreapi/interface/options/object.go b/core/coreapi/interface/options/object.go
index aca02d67263..9257ea6077c 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/interface/options/object.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/interface/options/object.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ type ObjectNewSettings struct {
 type ObjectPutSettings struct {
 	InputEnc string
 	DataType string
+	Pin      bool
 }
 
 type ObjectAddLinkSettings struct {
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ func ObjectPutOptions(opts ...ObjectPutOption) (*ObjectPutSettings, error) {
 	options := &ObjectPutSettings{
 		InputEnc: "json",
 		DataType: "text",
+		Pin:      false,
 	}
 
 	for _, opt := range opts {
@@ -103,6 +105,15 @@ func (objectOpts) DataType(t string) ObjectPutOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithPin is an option for Object.Put which specifies whether to pin the added
+// objects, default is false
+func (objectOpts) WithPin(pin bool) ObjectPutOption {
+	return func(settings *ObjectPutSettings) error {
+		settings.Pin = pin
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // Create is an option for Object.AddLink which specifies whether create required
 // directories for the child
 func (objectOpts) Create(create bool) ObjectAddLinkOption {
diff --git a/core/coreapi/object.go b/core/coreapi/object.go
index 2537966e2af..4da99110f1d 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/object.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/object.go
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ import (
 	coreiface "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreapi/interface"
 	caopts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/core/coreapi/interface/options"
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/dagutils"
+	pin "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/pin"
 	ft "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/unixfs"
-	dag "gx/ipfs/QmRy4Qk9hbgFX9NGJRm8rBThrA8PZhNCitMgeRYyZ67s59/go-merkledag"
 
+	dag "gx/ipfs/QmRy4Qk9hbgFX9NGJRm8rBThrA8PZhNCitMgeRYyZ67s59/go-merkledag"
 	cid "gx/ipfs/QmYVNvtQkeZ6AKSwDrjQTs432QtL6umrrK41EBq3cu7iSP/go-cid"
 	ipld "gx/ipfs/QmZtNq8dArGfnpCZfx2pUNY7UcjGhVp5qqwQ4hH6mpTMRQ/go-ipld-format"
 )
@@ -116,11 +117,23 @@ func (api *ObjectAPI) Put(ctx context.Context, src io.Reader, opts ...caopts.Obj
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if options.Pin {
+		defer api.node.Blockstore.PinLock().Unlock()
+	}
+
 	err = api.node.DAG.Add(ctx, dagnode)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if options.Pin {
+		api.node.Pinning.PinWithMode(dagnode.Cid(), pin.Recursive)
+		err = api.node.Pinning.Flush()
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+
 	return coreiface.IpfsPath(dagnode.Cid()), nil
 }