diff --git a/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.cpp b/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.cpp
index d5c520a098..19d724b0ad 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.cpp
@@ -219,6 +219,11 @@ bool File::setReadOnly (const bool shouldBeReadOnly,
     return setFileReadOnlyInternal (shouldBeReadOnly) && worked;
 }
 
+bool File::setExecutePermission (bool shouldBeExecutable) const
+{
+    return setFileExecutableInternal (shouldBeExecutable);
+}
+
 bool File::deleteRecursively() const
 {
     bool worked = true;
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.h b/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.h
index 57d970fff0..522559aace 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.h
+++ b/modules/juce_core/files/juce_File.h
@@ -348,6 +348,13 @@ public:
     bool setReadOnly (bool shouldBeReadOnly,
                       bool applyRecursively = false) const;
 
+    /** Changes the execute-permissions of a file.
+
+        @param shouldBeExecutable   whether to add or remove execute-permission
+        @returns    true if it manages to change the file's permissions.
+    */
+    bool setExecutePermission (bool shouldBeExecutable) const;
+
     /** Returns true if this file is a hidden or system file.
         The criteria for deciding whether a file is hidden are platform-dependent.
     */
@@ -968,6 +975,7 @@ private:
     bool setFileTimesInternal (int64 m, int64 a, int64 c) const;
     void getFileTimesInternal (int64& m, int64& a, int64& c) const;
     bool setFileReadOnlyInternal (bool) const;
+    bool setFileExecutableInternal (bool) const;
 };
 
 #endif   // JUCE_FILE_H_INCLUDED
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
index 91785d6ad7..c94d3a6358 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
+++ b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_posix_SharedCode.h
@@ -304,23 +304,33 @@ bool File::hasWriteAccess() const
     return false;
 }
 
-bool File::setFileReadOnlyInternal (const bool shouldBeReadOnly) const
+static bool setFileModeFlags (const String& fullPath, mode_t flags, bool shouldSet) noexcept
 {
     juce_statStruct info;
     if (! juce_stat (fullPath, info))
         return false;
 
-    info.st_mode &= 0777;   // Just permissions
+    info.st_mode &= 0777;
 
-    if (shouldBeReadOnly)
-        info.st_mode &= ~(S_IWUSR | S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH);
+    if (shouldSet)
+        info.st_mode |= flags;
     else
-        // Give everybody write permission?
-        info.st_mode |= S_IWUSR | S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH;
+        info.st_mode &= ~flags;
 
     return chmod (fullPath.toUTF8(), info.st_mode) == 0;
 }
 
+bool File::setFileReadOnlyInternal (bool shouldBeReadOnly) const
+{
+    // Hmm.. should we give global write permission or just the current user?
+    return setFileModeFlags (fullPath, S_IWUSR | S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH, ! shouldBeReadOnly);
+}
+
+bool File::setFileExecutableInternal (bool shouldBeExecutable) const
+{
+    return setFileModeFlags (fullPath, S_IXUSR | S_IXGRP | S_IXOTH, shouldBeExecutable);
+}
+
 void File::getFileTimesInternal (int64& modificationTime, int64& accessTime, int64& creationTime) const
 {
     modificationTime = 0;
@@ -328,11 +338,12 @@ void File::getFileTimesInternal (int64& modificationTime, int64& accessTime, int
     creationTime = 0;
 
     juce_statStruct info;
+
     if (juce_stat (fullPath, info))
     {
-        modificationTime = (int64) info.st_mtime * 1000;
-        accessTime = (int64) info.st_atime * 1000;
-        creationTime = (int64) info.st_ctime * 1000;
+        modificationTime  = (int64) info.st_mtime * 1000;
+        accessTime        = (int64) info.st_atime * 1000;
+        creationTime      = (int64) info.st_ctime * 1000;
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_win32_Files.cpp b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_win32_Files.cpp
index a77aa5aaca..260ed12b64 100644
--- a/modules/juce_core/native/juce_win32_Files.cpp
+++ b/modules/juce_core/native/juce_win32_Files.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ bool File::setFileReadOnlyInternal (const bool shouldBeReadOnly) const
             || SetFileAttributes (fullPath.toWideCharPointer(), newAtts) != FALSE;
 }
 
+bool File::setFileExecutableInternal (bool shouldBeExecutable)
+{
+    // XXX is this possible?
+    return false;
+}
+
 bool File::isHidden() const
 {
     return (WindowsFileHelpers::getAtts (fullPath) & FILE_ATTRIBUTE_HIDDEN) != 0;