diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 84c9a9f..4d784d7 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -46,3 +46,8 @@ True in pillar per user. Defaults to False
 Ensures the vimrc file exists in the users home directory. Set manage_vimrc:
 True in pillar per user. Defaults to False
 This depends on the vim-formula to be installed
+
+``users.user_files``
+---------------
+
+Permits the abitrary management of files. See pillar.example for configuration details.
diff --git a/pillar.example b/pillar.example
index 022b3f7..2413aaa 100644
--- a/pillar.example
+++ b/pillar.example
@@ -84,6 +84,13 @@ users:
         44444444
         55555555
 
+    user_files:
+      enabled: True
+      # 'source' allows you to define an arbitrary directory to sync, useful to use for default files.
+      # should be a salt fileserver path either with or without 'salt://'
+      # if not present, it defaults to 'salt://users/files/user/<username>
+      source: users/files/default
+
   ## Absent user
   cuser:
     absent: True
diff --git a/users/files/user/.keep b/users/files/user/.keep
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/users/init.sls b/users/init.sls
index 47e3b36..9c52855 100644
--- a/users/init.sls
+++ b/users/init.sls
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 {% from "users/map.jinja" import users with context %}
 {% set used_sudo = [] %}
 {% set used_googleauth = [] %}
+{% set used_user_files = [] %}
 
 {%- for name, user in pillar.get('users', {}).items()
         if user.absent is not defined or not user.absent %}
@@ -14,9 +15,12 @@
 {%- if 'google_auth' in user %}
 {%- do used_googleauth.append(1) %}
 {%- endif %}
+{%- if pillar.get('users:' + name + ':user_files:enabled', False) %}
+{%- do used_user_files.append(1) %}
+{%- endif %}
 {%- endfor %}
 
-{%- if used_sudo or used_googleauth %}
+{%- if used_sudo or used_googleauth or used_user_files %}
 include:
 {%- if used_sudo %}
   - users.sudo
@@ -24,6 +28,9 @@ include:
 {%- if used_googleauth %}
   - users.googleauth
 {%- endif %}
+{%- if used_user_files %}
+  - users.user_files
+{%- endif %}
 {%- endif %}
 
 {% for name, user in pillar.get('users', {}).items()
diff --git a/users/user_files.sls b/users/user_files.sls
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..990c9b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/users/user_files.sls
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+{% from "users/map.jinja" import users with context -%}
+
+include:
+  - users
+
+{%- for username, user in pillar.get('users', {}).items() if (user.absent is not defined or not user.absent) -%}
+{%- set user_files = pillar.get('users:' + username + ':user_files', {'enabled': False}) -%}
+
+{%- if user_files.enabled -%}
+{%- set user_group = pillar.get(('users:' + username + ':prime_group:name'), username) -%}
+
+{%- if user_files.source is defined -%}
+{%- if user_files.source.startswith('salt://') -%}
+{%- set file_source = user_files.source -%}
+{%- else -%}
+{%- set file_source = ('salt://' + user.user_files.source) -%}
+{%- endif -%}
+{%- else -%}
+{%- set file_source = ('salt://users/files/user/' + username) -%}
+{%- endif -%}
+
+users_userfiles_{{ username }}_recursive:
+  file.recurse:
+    - name: {{ user.home }}
+    - source: {{ file_source }}
+    - user: {{ username }}
+    - group: {{ user_group }}
+    - clean: False
+    - include_empty: True
+    - keep_symlinks: True
+    - require:
+      - user: users_{{ username }}_user
+      - file: users_{{ username }}_user
+
+{% endif -%}
+{% endfor -%}