diff --git a/fabric/contrib/files.py b/fabric/contrib/files.py
index a9285c9..0192347 100644
--- a/fabric/contrib/files.py
+++ b/fabric/contrib/files.py
@@ -32,6 +32,20 @@ def exists(path, use_sudo=False, verbose=False):
     with settings(hide('everything'), warn_only=True):
         return not func(cmd).failed
 
+def is_dir(path, use_sudo=False):
+    """
+    Return True if given path exists and is a directory
+    on the current remote host
+
+    If ``use_sudo`` is True, will use `sudo` instead of `run`.
+    """
+    func = use_sudo and sudo or run
+    if exists(path, use_sudo):
+        with settings(hide('everything'), warn_only=True):
+            # Is destination a directory?
+            if func('test -f %s' % path).failed:
+                return True
+    return False
 
 def first(*args, **kwargs):
     """
@@ -48,7 +62,7 @@ def first(*args, **kwargs):
 
 
 def upload_template(filename, destination, context=None, use_jinja=False,
-    template_dir=None, use_sudo=False):
+    template_dir=None, use_sudo=False, backup='.bak'):
     """
     Render and upload a template text file to a remote host.
 
@@ -70,38 +84,56 @@ def upload_template(filename, destination, context=None, use_jinja=False,
     user; specify ``use_sudo=True`` to use `sudo` instead.
     """
     basename = os.path.basename(filename)
-    temp_destination = '/tmp/' + basename
+    text = None
+    if use_jinja:
+        try:
+            from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
+            jenv = Environment(loader=FileSystemLoader(template_dir or '.'))
+            text = jenv.get_template(filename).render(**context or {})
+        except ImportError, e:
+            abort("tried to use Jinja2 but was unable to import: %s" % e)
+    else:
+        with open(filename) as inputfile:
+        text = inputfile.read()
+        if context:
+            text = text % context
+    put_from_text(text, destination, use_sudo, backup=True)
+
+def backup(remote_path, use_sudo=False, backup='.bak'):
+    """
+    Return True if given path exists and is a directory
+    on the current remote host
+
+    If ``use_sudo`` is True, will use `sudo` instead of `run`.
+    """
+    func = use_sudo and sudo or run
+    if exists(remote_path):
+        # cp -R is recursive for directory, no differences for file
+        func("cp -R %s %s%s" % (remote_path, remote_path, backup))
+
+def backup_and_put(local_path, remote_path, mode=None, use_sudo=False,
+    backup='.bak'):
+    """
+    same as put() but backup the content at the other end
+
+    If ``use_sudo`` is True, will use `sudo` instead of `run`.
+    """
+    if os.path.isdir(local_path) and is_dir(remote_path, use_sudo):
+        to_backup = remote_path + '/' + os.path.basename(local_path)
+    else:
+        to_backup = remote_path
+    backup(to_backup, use_sudo, backup)
+    put(local_path, remote_path, mode)
+
+def put_from_text(text, remote_path, mode=None, backup=False):
+    """
+    same as put() but first argument is a string of the content of the file
+    """
+    func = backup and backup_and_put or put
     with tempfile.NamedTemporaryFile() as output:
-        # Init
-        text = None
-        if use_jinja:
-            try:
-                from jinja2 import Environment, FileSystemLoader
-                jenv = Environment(loader=FileSystemLoader(template_dir or '.'))
-                text = jenv.get_template(filename).render(**context or {})
-            except ImportError, e:
-                abort("tried to use Jinja2 but was unable to import: %s" % e)
-        else:
-            with open(filename) as inputfile:
-                text = inputfile.read()
-            if context:
-                text = text % context
         output.write(text)
         output.flush()
-        put(output.name, temp_destination)
-    func = use_sudo and sudo or run
-    # Back up any original file (need to do figure out ultimate destination)
-    to_backup = destination
-    with settings(hide('everything'), warn_only=True):
-        # Is destination a directory?
-        if func('test -f %s' % to_backup).failed:
-            # If so, tack on the filename to get "real" destination
-            to_backup = destination + '/' + basename
-    if exists(to_backup):
-        func("cp %s %s.bak" % (to_backup, to_backup))
-    # Actually move uploaded template to destination
-    func("mv %s %s" % (temp_destination, destination))
-
+        func(output.name, remote_path, mode)
 
 def sed(filename, before, after, limit='', use_sudo=False, backup='.bak'):
     """