diff --git a/toolbox/mkdir.c b/toolbox/mkdir.c
index 121adab..656970a 100644
--- a/toolbox/mkdir.c
+++ b/toolbox/mkdir.c
@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#include <sys/limits.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 
 static int usage()
 {
-    fprintf(stderr,"mkdir <target>\n");
+    fprintf(stderr,"mkdir [OPTION] <target>\n");
+    fprintf(stderr,"    --help           display usage and exit\n");
+    fprintf(stderr,"    -p, --parents    create parent directories as needed\n");
     return -1;
 }
 
@@ -13,15 +17,60 @@
 {
     int symbolic = 0;
     int ret;
-    if(argc < 2) return usage();
+    if(argc < 2 || strcmp(argv[1], "--help") == 0) {
+        return usage();
+    }
+
+    int recursive = (strcmp(argv[1], "-p") == 0 ||
+                     strcmp(argv[1], "--parents") == 0) ? 1 : 0;
+
+    if(recursive && argc < 3) {
+        // -p specified without a path
+        return usage();
+    }
+
+    if(recursive) {
+        argc--;
+        argv++;
+    }
+
+    char currpath[PATH_MAX], *pathpiece;
+    struct stat st;
 
     while(argc > 1) {
         argc--;
         argv++;
-        ret = mkdir(argv[0], 0777);
-        if(ret < 0) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "mkdir failed for %s, %s\n", argv[0], strerror(errno));
-            return ret;
+        if(recursive) {
+            // reset path
+            strcpy(currpath, "");
+            // create the pieces of the path along the way
+            pathpiece = strtok(argv[0], "/");
+            if(argv[0][0] == '/') {
+                // prepend / if needed
+                strcat(currpath, "/");
+            }
+            while(pathpiece != NULL) {
+                if(strlen(currpath) + strlen(pathpiece) + 2/*NUL and slash*/ > PATH_MAX) {
+                    fprintf(stderr, "Invalid path specified: too long\n");
+                    return 1;
+                }
+                strcat(currpath, pathpiece);
+                strcat(currpath, "/");
+                if(stat(currpath, &st) != 0) {
+                    ret = mkdir(currpath, 0777);
+                    if(ret < 0) {
+                        fprintf(stderr, "mkdir failed for %s, %s\n", currpath, strerror(errno));
+                        return ret;
+                    }
+                }
+                pathpiece = strtok(NULL, "/");
+            }
+        } else {
+            ret = mkdir(argv[0], 0777);
+            if(ret < 0) {
+                fprintf(stderr, "mkdir failed for %s, %s\n", argv[0], strerror(errno));
+                return ret;
+            }
         }
     }