diff --git a/bin/cqlsh.py b/bin/cqlsh.py
index 74c9c4dc40eb..a7c5d629c0fc 100755
--- a/bin/cqlsh.py
+++ b/bin/cqlsh.py
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ def find_zip(libprefix):
 DEFAULT_SSL = False
 DEFAULT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 5
 DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS = 10
+DEFAULT_NO_FILE_IO = False
 
 DEFAULT_FLOAT_PRECISION = 5
 DEFAULT_DOUBLE_PRECISION = 5
@@ -231,6 +232,8 @@ def find_zip(libprefix):
                   help='Specify the default request timeout in seconds (default: %default seconds).')
 parser.add_option("-t", "--tty", action='store_true', dest='tty',
                   help='Force tty mode (command prompt).')
+parser.add_option("--no-file-io", action='store_true', dest='no_file_io',
+                  help='Disable cqlsh commands that perform file I/O.')
 
 optvalues = optparse.Values()
 (options, arguments) = parser.parse_args(sys.argv[1:], values=optvalues)
@@ -422,6 +425,7 @@ class Shell(cmd.Cmd):
     last_hist = None
     shunted_query_out = None
     use_paging = True
+    no_file_io = False
 
     default_page_size = 100
 
@@ -442,7 +446,8 @@ def __init__(self, hostname, port, color=False,
                  request_timeout=DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
                  protocol_version=None,
                  connect_timeout=DEFAULT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS,
-                 is_subshell=False):
+                 is_subshell=False,
+                 no_file_io=False):
         cmd.Cmd.__init__(self, completekey=completekey)
         self.hostname = hostname
         self.port = port
@@ -532,6 +537,7 @@ def __init__(self, hostname, port, color=False,
         self.statement_error = False
         self.single_statement = single_statement
         self.is_subshell = is_subshell
+        self.no_file_io = no_file_io
 
     @property
     def batch_mode(self):
@@ -1553,6 +1559,10 @@ def do_copy(self, parsed):
         on a line by itself to end the data input.
         """
 
+        if self.no_file_io:
+            self.printerr('No file I/O permitted')
+            return
+
         ks = self.cql_unprotect_name(parsed.get_binding('ksname', None))
         if ks is None:
             ks = self.current_keyspace
@@ -1637,6 +1647,11 @@ def do_source(self, parsed):
 
         See also the --file option to cqlsh.
         """
+
+        if self.no_file_io:
+            self.printerr('No file I/O permitted')
+            return
+
         fname = parsed.get_binding('fname')
         fname = os.path.expanduser(self.cql_unprotect_value(fname))
         try:
@@ -1697,6 +1712,11 @@ def do_capture(self, parsed):
         To inspect the current capture configuration, use CAPTURE with no
         arguments.
         """
+
+        if self.no_file_io:
+            self.printerr('No file I/O permitted')
+            return
+
         fname = parsed.get_binding('fname')
         if fname is None:
             if self.shunted_query_out is not None:
@@ -1894,6 +1914,11 @@ def do_clear(self, parsed):
     do_cls = do_clear
 
     def do_debug(self, parsed):
+
+        if self.no_file_io:
+            self.printerr('No file I/O permitted')
+            return
+
         import pdb
         pdb.set_trace()
 
@@ -2159,6 +2184,7 @@ def read_options(cmdlineargs, environment):
     optvalues.connect_timeout = option_with_default(configs.getint, 'connection', 'timeout', DEFAULT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
     optvalues.request_timeout = option_with_default(configs.getint, 'connection', 'request_timeout', DEFAULT_REQUEST_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)
     optvalues.execute = None
+    optvalues.no_file_io = option_with_default(configs.getboolean, 'ui', 'no_file_io', False)
 
     (options, arguments) = parser.parse_args(cmdlineargs, values=optvalues)
     # Make sure some user values read from the command line are in unicode
@@ -2329,6 +2355,7 @@ def main(options, hostname, port):
                       single_statement=options.execute,
                       request_timeout=options.request_timeout,
                       connect_timeout=options.connect_timeout,
+                      no_file_io=options.no_file_io,
                       encoding=options.encoding)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         sys.exit('Connection aborted.')