diff --git a/cogl/cogl-primitive.c b/cogl/cogl-primitive.c
index a88f1899f..10983cd61 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-primitive.c
+++ b/cogl/cogl-primitive.c
@@ -524,6 +524,22 @@ cogl_primitive_set_indices (CoglPrimitive *primitive,
   primitive->n_vertices = n_indices;
 }
 
+CoglPrimitive *
+cogl_primitive_copy (CoglPrimitive *primitive)
+{
+  CoglPrimitive *copy;
+
+  copy = cogl_primitive_new_with_attributes (primitive->mode,
+                                             primitive->n_vertices,
+                                             primitive->attributes,
+                                             primitive->n_attributes);
+
+  cogl_primitive_set_indices (copy, primitive->indices, primitive->n_vertices);
+  cogl_primitive_set_first_vertex (copy, primitive->first_vertex);
+
+  return copy;
+}
+
 CoglPrimitive *
 _cogl_primitive_immutable_ref (CoglPrimitive *primitive)
 {
diff --git a/cogl/cogl-primitive.h b/cogl/cogl-primitive.h
index c9529a055..62293ab6c 100644
--- a/cogl/cogl-primitive.h
+++ b/cogl/cogl-primitive.h
@@ -774,6 +774,21 @@ cogl_primitive_set_indices (CoglPrimitive *primitive,
                             CoglIndices *indices,
                             int n_indices);
 
+/**
+ * cogl_primitive_copy:
+ * @primitive: A primitive copy
+ *
+ * Makes a copy of an existing #CoglPrimitive. Note that the primitive
+ * is a shallow copy which means it will use the same attributes and
+ * attribute buffers as the original primitive.
+ *
+ * Return value: the new primitive
+ * Since: 1.10
+ * Stability: unstable
+ */
+CoglPrimitive *
+cogl_primitive_copy (CoglPrimitive *primitive);
+
 /**
  * cogl_primitive_draw:
  * @primitive: A #CoglPrimitive object
diff --git a/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt b/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
index a81e20179..c6f0c2b7a 100644
--- a/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
+++ b/doc/reference/cogl-2.0-experimental/cogl-2.0-experimental-sections.txt
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ cogl_primitive_set_mode
 cogl_primitive_set_attributes
 cogl_primitive_set_indices
 cogl_primitive_draw
+cogl_primitive_copy
 </SECTION>
 
 <SECTION>