diff --git a/cmd/helm/flags.go b/cmd/helm/flags.go
index 246cb0dd5..5dca0bf71 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/flags.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/flags.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import (
 
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/internal/completion"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/action"
+	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/files"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/output"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/values"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/postrender"
@@ -52,6 +53,11 @@ func addChartPathOptionsFlags(f *pflag.FlagSet, c *action.ChartPathOptions) {
 	f.StringVar(&c.CaFile, "ca-file", "", "verify certificates of HTTPS-enabled servers using this CA bundle")
 }
 
+func addExternalFilesFlags(f *pflag.FlagSet, v *files.ExternalFiles) {
+	f.StringArrayVar(&v.Files, "include-file", []string{}, "paths to local external files to use during chart installation")
+	f.StringArrayVar(&v.Globs, "include-dir", []string{}, "globs to local external files to use during chart installation")
+}
+
 // bindOutputFlag will add the output flag to the given command and bind the
 // value to the given format pointer
 func bindOutputFlag(cmd *cobra.Command, varRef *output.Format) {
diff --git a/cmd/helm/install.go b/cmd/helm/install.go
index 44f7336c0..d5d58a5ac 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/install.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ import (
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/action"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart/loader"
+	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/files"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/output"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/values"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/downloader"
@@ -154,6 +156,7 @@ func addInstallFlags(f *pflag.FlagSet, client *action.Install, valueOpts *values
 	f.BoolVar(&client.SubNotes, "render-subchart-notes", false, "if set, render subchart notes along with the parent")
 	addValueOptionsFlags(f, valueOpts)
 	addChartPathOptionsFlags(f, &client.ChartPathOptions)
+	addExternalFilesFlags(f, &client.ExternalFiles)
 }
 
 func runInstall(args []string, client *action.Install, valueOpts *values.Options, out io.Writer) (*release.Release, error) {
@@ -226,6 +229,11 @@ func runInstall(args []string, client *action.Install, valueOpts *values.Options
 		}
 	}
 
+	err = loadExternalFiles(chartRequested, client.ExternalFiles)
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(out, err)
+	}
+
 	client.Namespace = settings.Namespace()
 	return client.Run(chartRequested, vals)
 }
@@ -241,6 +249,30 @@ func isChartInstallable(ch *chart.Chart) (bool, error) {
 	return false, errors.Errorf("%s charts are not installable", ch.Metadata.Type)
 }
 
+func loadExternalFiles(ch *chart.Chart, exFiles files.ExternalFiles) error {
+	var errs []string
+	fs := make(map[string]string)
+	for _, s := range exFiles.Files {
+		if err := files.ParseIntoString(s, fs); err != nil {
+			debug("error parsing file option", s, err)
+			errs = append(errs, s)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for name, path := range fs {
+		byt, err := loader.LoadLocalFile(path)
+		if err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, path)
+		}
+		ch.Files = append(ch.Files, &chart.File{Name: name, Data: byt})
+	}
+
+	if len(errs) > 0 {
+		return errors.New(fmt.Sprint("Failed to load external files:", strings.Join(errs, ";")))
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 // Provide dynamic auto-completion for the install and template commands
 func compInstall(args []string, toComplete string, client *action.Install) ([]string, completion.BashCompDirective) {
 	requiredArgs := 1
diff --git a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
index c263d32e7..cebc2f450 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/upgrade.go
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@ func newUpgradeCmd(cfg *action.Configuration, out io.Writer) *cobra.Command {
 	addValueOptionsFlags(f, valueOpts)
 	bindOutputFlag(cmd, &outfmt)
 	bindPostRenderFlag(cmd, &client.PostRenderer)
+	addExternalFilesFlags(f, &client.ExternalFiles)
 
 	return cmd
 }
diff --git a/pkg/action/install.go b/pkg/action/install.go
index 351e0928c..2a3563f90 100644
--- a/pkg/action/install.go
+++ b/pkg/action/install.go
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ import (
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chartutil"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli"
+	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/files"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/downloader"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/getter"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/kube"
@@ -100,6 +101,7 @@ type Install struct {
 	// OutputDir/<ReleaseName>
 	UseReleaseName bool
 	PostRenderer   postrender.PostRenderer
+	ExternalFiles  files.ExternalFiles
 }
 
 // ChartPathOptions captures common options used for controlling chart paths
diff --git a/pkg/action/upgrade.go b/pkg/action/upgrade.go
index fc289dbab..a78de7e67 100644
--- a/pkg/action/upgrade.go
+++ b/pkg/action/upgrade.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import (
 
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chart"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/chartutil"
+	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/cli/files"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/kube"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/postrender"
 	"helm.sh/helm/v3/pkg/release"
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@ type Upgrade struct {
 	PostRenderer postrender.PostRenderer
 	// DisableOpenAPIValidation controls whether OpenAPI validation is enforced.
 	DisableOpenAPIValidation bool
+	ExternalFiles            files.ExternalFiles
 }
 
 // NewUpgrade creates a new Upgrade object with the given configuration.
diff --git a/pkg/chart/loader/local.go b/pkg/chart/loader/local.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6666a96ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/chart/loader/local.go
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+package loader
+
+import (
+	"io/ioutil"
+	"os"
+
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
+)
+
+// LoadLocalFile loads a file from the local filesystem.
+func LoadLocalFile(path string) ([]byte, error) {
+	if fi, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	} else if fi.IsDir() {
+		return nil, errors.New("cannot load a directory")
+	}
+
+	return ioutil.ReadFile(path)
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/files/files.go b/pkg/cli/files/files.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0015ee3e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/files/files.go
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+package files
+
+// ExternalFiles holds the list of external files or globs
+type ExternalFiles struct {
+	Files []string
+	Globs []string
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cli/files/parser.go b/pkg/cli/files/parser.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fda1064a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/cli/files/parser.go
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+package files
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// ParseIntoString parses a include-file line and merges the result into dest.
+func ParseIntoString(s string, dest map[string]string) error {
+	for _, val := range strings.Split(s, ",") {
+		val = strings.TrimSpace(val)
+		splt := strings.SplitN(val, "=", 2)
+
+		if len(splt) != 2 {
+			return errors.New("Could not parse line")
+		}
+
+		name := strings.TrimSpace(splt[0])
+		path := strings.TrimSpace(splt[1])
+		dest[name] = path
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}