diff --git a/docs/content/docs.md b/docs/content/docs.md
index 27c96a700..2489c9cda 100644
--- a/docs/content/docs.md
+++ b/docs/content/docs.md
@@ -536,6 +536,13 @@ files not recursed through are considered excluded and will be deleted
 on the destination.  Test first with `--dry-run` if you are not sure
 what will happen.
 
+### --max-transfer=SIZE ###
+
+Rclone will stop transferring when it has reached the size specified.
+Defaults to off.
+
+When the limit is reached all transfers will stop immediately.
+
 ### --modify-window=TIME ###
 
 When checking whether a file has been modified, this is the maximum
diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting.go b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
index cf0340f93..5d51d85aa 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting.go
@@ -10,8 +10,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/VividCortex/ewma"
 	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs/asyncreader"
+	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs/fserrors"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
+// ErrorMaxTransferLimitReached is returned from Read when the max
+// transfer limit is reached.
+var ErrorMaxTransferLimitReached = fserrors.FatalError(errors.New("Max transfer limit reached as set by --max-transfer"))
+
 // Account limits and accounts for one transfer
 type Account struct {
 	// The mutex is to make sure Read() and Close() aren't called
@@ -27,6 +33,7 @@ type Account struct {
 	name    string
 	statmu  sync.Mutex         // Separate mutex for stat values.
 	bytes   int64              // Total number of bytes read
+	max     int64              // if >=0 the max number of bytes to transfer
 	start   time.Time          // Start time of first read
 	lpTime  time.Time          // Time of last average measurement
 	lpBytes int                // Number of bytes read since last measurement
@@ -48,6 +55,7 @@ func NewAccountSizeName(in io.ReadCloser, size int64, name string) *Account {
 		exit:   make(chan struct{}),
 		avg:    ewma.NewMovingAverage(),
 		lpTime: time.Now(),
+		max:    int64(fs.Config.MaxTransfer),
 	}
 	go acc.averageLoop()
 	Stats.inProgress.set(acc.name, acc)
@@ -131,8 +139,12 @@ func (acc *Account) averageLoop() {
 
 // read bytes from the io.Reader passed in and account them
 func (acc *Account) read(in io.Reader, p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	// Set start time.
 	acc.statmu.Lock()
+	if acc.max >= 0 && Stats.GetBytes() >= acc.max {
+		acc.statmu.Unlock()
+		return 0, ErrorMaxTransferLimitReached
+	}
+	// Set start time.
 	if acc.start.IsZero() {
 		acc.start = time.Now()
 	}
diff --git a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
index 554a49623..b197a4a7d 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/accounting_test.go
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs/asyncreader"
+	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs/fserrors"
 	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fstest/mockobject"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
@@ -181,3 +183,28 @@ func TestAccountAccounter(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.True(t, wrap(in3) == in3)
 
 }
+
+func TestAccountMaxTransfer(t *testing.T) {
+	old := fs.Config.MaxTransfer
+	fs.Config.MaxTransfer = 15
+	defer func() {
+		fs.Config.MaxTransfer = old
+	}()
+	Stats.ResetCounters()
+
+	in := ioutil.NopCloser(bytes.NewBuffer(make([]byte, 100)))
+	acc := NewAccountSizeName(in, 1, "test")
+
+	var b = make([]byte, 10)
+
+	n, err := acc.Read(b)
+	assert.Equal(t, 10, n)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	n, err = acc.Read(b)
+	assert.Equal(t, 10, n)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	n, err = acc.Read(b)
+	assert.Equal(t, 0, n)
+	assert.Equal(t, ErrorMaxTransferLimitReached, err)
+	assert.True(t, fserrors.IsFatalError(err))
+}
diff --git a/fs/accounting/stats.go b/fs/accounting/stats.go
index cd2557247..c666e39ff 100644
--- a/fs/accounting/stats.go
+++ b/fs/accounting/stats.go
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ func (s *StatsInfo) Bytes(bytes int64) {
 	s.bytes += bytes
 }
 
+// GetBytes returns the number of bytes transferred so far
+func (s *StatsInfo) GetBytes() int64 {
+	s.lock.Lock()
+	defer s.lock.Unlock()
+	return s.bytes
+}
+
 // Errors updates the stats for errors
 func (s *StatsInfo) Errors(errors int64) {
 	s.lock.Lock()
diff --git a/fs/config.go b/fs/config.go
index fb948cdf2..543923981 100644
--- a/fs/config.go
+++ b/fs/config.go
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ type ConfigInfo struct {
 	StatsFileNameLength   int
 	AskPassword           bool
 	UseServerModTime      bool
+	MaxTransfer           SizeSuffix
 }
 
 // NewConfig creates a new config with everything set to the default
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ func NewConfig() *ConfigInfo {
 	c.StatsFileNameLength = 40
 	c.AskPassword = true
 	c.TPSLimitBurst = 1
+	c.MaxTransfer = -1
 
 	return c
 }
diff --git a/fs/config/configflags/configflags.go b/fs/config/configflags/configflags.go
index 9d22dea85..c3a1531a7 100644
--- a/fs/config/configflags/configflags.go
+++ b/fs/config/configflags/configflags.go
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ func AddFlags(flagSet *pflag.FlagSet) {
 	flags.FVarP(flagSet, &fs.Config.BufferSize, "buffer-size", "", "Buffer size when copying files.")
 	flags.FVarP(flagSet, &fs.Config.StreamingUploadCutoff, "streaming-upload-cutoff", "", "Cutoff for switching to chunked upload if file size is unknown. Upload starts after reaching cutoff or when file ends.")
 	flags.FVarP(flagSet, &fs.Config.Dump, "dump", "", "List of items to dump from: "+fs.DumpFlagsList)
-
+	flags.FVarP(flagSet, &fs.Config.MaxTransfer, "max-transfer", "", "Maximum size of data to transfer.")
 }
 
 // SetFlags converts any flags into config which weren't straight foward