diff --git a/src/commands/perms b/src/commands/perms
index 7be3a28..b230e8a 100755
--- a/src/commands/perms
+++ b/src/commands/perms
@@ -21,12 +21,21 @@ Examples:
     ssh git@host perms foo + READERS user2
     ssh git@host perms foo + READERS user3
 
-(Note: a legacy mode of piping in the entire permissions text directly is also
-supported.  If you want to use it, don't mix it with the new "+/-" modes).
+----
+There is also a batch mode useful for scripting and bulk loading.  Do not
+combine this with the +/- mode above.  This mode also accepts an optional "-c"
+flag to create the repo if it does not already exist (assuming $GL_USER has
+permissions to create it).
+
+Examples:
+    cat copy-of-backed-up-gl-perms | ssh git@host perms <repo>
+    cat copy-of-backed-up-gl-perms | ssh git@host perms -c <repo>
 =cut
 
 usage() if not @ARGV or $ARGV[0] eq '-h';
 
+$ENV{GL_USER} or _die "GL_USER not set";
+
 my $list = 0;
 if ( $ARGV[0] eq '-l' ) {
     $list++;
@@ -34,6 +43,23 @@ if ( $ARGV[0] eq '-l' ) {
     getperms(@ARGV);    # doesn't return
 }
 
+# auto-create the repo if -c passed and repo doesn't exist
+if ( $ARGV[0] eq '-c' ) {
+    shift;
+    my $repo = $ARGV[0];
+    _die "invalid repo '$repo'" unless $repo =~ $REPONAME_PATT;
+
+    if (not -d "$rc{GL_REPO_BASE}/$repo.git") {
+        my $ret = access( $repo, $ENV{GL_USER}, '^C', 'any' );
+        _die $ret if $ret =~ /DENIED/;
+
+        require Gitolite::Conf::Store;
+        Gitolite::Conf::Store->import;
+        new_wild_repo( $repo, $ENV{GL_USER} );
+        gl_log( 'create', $repo, $ENV{GL_USER} );
+    }
+}
+
 my $repo = shift;
 setperms(@ARGV);
 _system( "gitolite", "trigger", "POST_CREATE", $repo, $ENV{GL_USER} );
diff --git a/t/sequence.t b/t/sequence.t
index ef11689..acccb0b 100755
--- a/t/sequence.t
+++ b/t/sequence.t
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use Gitolite::Test;
 # uhh, seems to be another rule sequence test
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-try "plan 40";
+try "plan 48";
 
 confreset;confadd '
     @staff = u1 u2 u3
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ confreset;confadd '
           RW+     = CREATOR
           -       = @staff
           RW      = WRITERS
+          R       = READERS
 ';
 
 try "ADMIN_PUSH set1; !/FATAL/" or die text();
@@ -81,6 +82,7 @@ try "
         /WRITERS u2/
     # expand
     glt info u2
+        !/R W *\tfoo/u1/baz/
         /R W *\tfoo/u1/bar/
         /R W *\ttesting/
 
@@ -94,4 +96,21 @@ try "
         !ok
         reject
         /W refs/heads/master foo/u1/bar u2 DENIED by refs/\\.\\*/
+
+    # auto-create using perms fail
+    echo READERS u5 | glt perms u4 -c foo/u4/baz
+        !/Initialized empty Git repository in .*/foo/u4/baz.git/
+        /FATAL: .C any foo/u4/baz u4 DENIED by fallthru/
+
+    # auto-create using perms
+    echo READERS u2 | glt perms u1 -c foo/u1/baz
+        /Initialized empty Git repository in .*/foo/u1/baz.git/
+
+    glt perms u1 -l foo/u1/baz
+        /READERS u2/
+    # expand
+    glt info u2
+        /R   *\tfoo/u1/baz/
+        /R W *\tfoo/u1/bar/
+        /R W *\ttesting/
 ";