diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a33e588..29df968 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 ## Information
 
 <table>
-<tr> 
+<tr>
 <td>Package</td><td>vinyl</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
@@ -34,35 +34,35 @@ var coffeeFile = new File({
 
 #### options.cwd
 
-Type: `String`  
+Type: `String`
 Default: `process.cwd()`
 
 #### options.base
 
 Used for relative pathing. Typically where a glob starts.
 
-Type: `String`  
+Type: `String`
 Default: `options.cwd`
 
 #### options.path
 
 Full path to the file.
 
-Type: `String`  
+Type: `String`
 Default: `null`
 
 #### options.stat
 
 The result of an fs.stat call. See [fs.Stats](http://nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_class_fs_stats) for more information.
 
-Type: `fs.Stats`  
+Type: `fs.Stats`
 Default: `null`
 
 #### options.contents
 
 File contents.
 
-Type: `Buffer, Stream, or null`  
+Type: `Buffer, Stream, or null`
 Default: `null`
 
 ### isBuffer()
@@ -77,9 +77,16 @@ Returns true if file.contents is a Stream.
 
 Returns true if file.contents is null.
 
-### clone()
+### clone(options)
+
+Returns a new File object with all attributes cloned.  Custom attributes that
+may have been added to the File object are deep-cloned (using the Lodash
+cloneDeep function) into the new File.
+
+#### options.contents
 
-Returns a new File object with all attributes cloned.
+If file.contents is a Buffer, and options.contents is false, it will
+reference-copy the buffer instead of cloning it.
 
 ### pipe(stream[, opt])
 
@@ -120,4 +127,4 @@ console.log(file.relative); // file.coffee
 [coveralls-url]: https://coveralls.io/r/wearefractal/vinyl
 [coveralls-image]: https://coveralls.io/repos/wearefractal/vinyl/badge.png
 [depstat-url]: https://david-dm.org/wearefractal/vinyl
-[depstat-image]: https://david-dm.org/wearefractal/vinyl.png
\ No newline at end of file
+[depstat-image]: https://david-dm.org/wearefractal/vinyl.png
diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 58c3632..438a127 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 var path = require('path');
 
 var cloneStats = require('clone-stats');
+var cloneDeep = require('lodash.clonedeep');
 
 var isBuffer = require('./lib/isBuffer');
 var isStream = require('./lib/isStream');
@@ -42,17 +43,27 @@ File.prototype.isDirectory = function() {
   return this.isNull() && this.stat && this.stat.isDirectory();
 };
 
-File.prototype.clone = function() {
-  var clonedContents = this.isBuffer() ? cloneBuffer(this.contents) : this.contents;
-  var clonedStat = this.stat ? cloneStats(this.stat) : null;
-
-  return new File({
-    cwd: this.cwd,
-    base: this.base,
-    path: this.path,
-    stat: clonedStat,
-    contents: clonedContents
-  });
+File.prototype.clone = function(opt) {
+  if (!opt) opt = {};
+
+  var clone = new File();
+
+  Object.keys(this).forEach(function(key) {
+    if (key !== '_contents' && key !== 'stat' && this.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
+      clone[key] = cloneDeep(this[key]);
+    }
+  }, this);
+
+  if (opt.contents !== false && this.isBuffer()) {
+    clone.contents = cloneBuffer(this.contents);
+  }
+  else {
+    clone.contents = this.contents;
+  }
+
+  clone.stat = this.stat ? cloneStats(this.stat) : null;
+
+  return clone;
 };
 
 File.prototype.pipe = function(stream, opt) {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index d851cb1..739f378 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,8 @@
   "author": "Fractal <contact@wearefractal.com> (http://wearefractal.com/)",
   "main": "./index.js",
   "dependencies": {
-    "clone-stats": "~0.0.1"
+    "clone-stats": "~0.0.1",
+    "lodash.clonedeep": "^2.4.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "mocha": "~1.17.0",
diff --git a/test/File.js b/test/File.js
index 1f2a83a..79c9306 100644
--- a/test/File.js
+++ b/test/File.js
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ describe('File', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
-  
+
   describe('isBuffer()', function() {
     it('should return true when the contents are a Buffer', function(done) {
       var val = new Buffer("test");
@@ -250,6 +250,48 @@ describe('File', function() {
 
       done();
     });
+
+    it('should copy custom properties', function(done) {
+      var options = {
+        cwd: "/",
+        base: "/test/",
+        path: "/test/test.coffee",
+        contents: null
+      };
+      var file = new File(options);
+      file.customProp = 'a custom property';
+
+      var file2 = file.clone();
+
+      file2.should.not.equal(file, 'refs should be different');
+      file2.cwd.should.equal(file.cwd);
+      file2.base.should.equal(file.base);
+      file2.path.should.equal(file.path);
+      file2.customProp.should.equal(file.customProp);
+
+      done();
+    });
+
+    it('should allow to reference-copy a Buffer', function(done) {
+      var options = {
+        cwd: "/",
+        base: "/test/",
+        path: "/test/test.coffee",
+        contents: new Buffer("test")
+      };
+      var file = new File(options);
+
+      var file2 = file.clone({ contents: false });
+
+      file2.should.not.equal(file, 'refs should be different');
+      file2.cwd.should.equal(file.cwd);
+      file2.base.should.equal(file.base);
+      file2.path.should.equal(file.path);
+      file2.contents.should.equal(file.contents, 'buffer ref should be the same');
+      file2.contents.toString('utf8').should.equal(file.contents.toString('utf8'));
+
+      done();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('pipe()', function() {
@@ -382,7 +424,7 @@ describe('File', function() {
       process.nextTick(done);
     });
   });
-  
+
   describe('inspect()', function() {
     it('should return correct format when no contents and no path', function(done) {
       var file = new File();
@@ -445,7 +487,7 @@ describe('File', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
-  
+
   describe('contents get/set', function() {
     it('should work with Buffer', function(done) {
       var val = new Buffer("test");