diff --git a/library/files/unarchive b/library/files/unarchive
index 661f389969..ab04e57475 100644
--- a/library/files/unarchive
+++ b/library/files/unarchive
@@ -43,7 +43,13 @@ options:
     required: false
     choices: [ "yes", "no" ]
     default: "yes"
-author: Dylan Martin 
+  creates:
+    description:
+      - a filename, when it already exists, this step will B(not) be run.
+    required: no
+    default: null
+    version_added: "1.6"
+author: Dylan Martin
 todo:
     - detect changed/unchanged for .zip files
     - handle common unarchive args, like preserve owner/timestamp etc...
@@ -168,6 +174,7 @@ def main():
             original_basename = dict(required=False), # used to handle 'dest is a directory' via template, a slight hack
             dest              = dict(required=True),
             copy              = dict(default=True, type='bool'),
+            creates           = dict(required=False),
         ),
         add_file_common_args=True,
     )
@@ -175,6 +182,7 @@ def main():
     src    = os.path.expanduser(module.params['src'])
     dest   = os.path.expanduser(module.params['dest'])
     copy   = module.params['copy']
+    creates = module.params['creates']
 
     # did tar file arrive?
     if not os.path.exists(src):
@@ -185,6 +193,20 @@ def main():
     if not os.access(src, os.R_OK):
         module.fail_json(msg="Source '%s' not readable" % src)
 
+    if creates:
+        # do not run the command if the line contains creates=filename
+        # and the filename already exists.  This allows idempotence
+        # of command executions.
+        v = os.path.expanduser(creates)
+        if os.path.exists(v):
+            module.exit_json(
+                stdout="skipped, since %s exists" % v,
+                skipped=True,
+                changed=False,
+                stderr=False,
+                rc=0
+            )
+
     # is dest OK to receive tar file?
     if not os.path.exists(os.path.dirname(dest)):
         module.fail_json(msg="Destination directory '%s' does not exist" % (os.path.dirname(dest)))
diff --git a/test/integration/roles/test_unarchive/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/roles/test_unarchive/tasks/main.yml
index 817096617b..56b31e6b2d 100644
--- a/test/integration/roles/test_unarchive/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/roles/test_unarchive/tasks/main.yml
@@ -64,6 +64,33 @@
 - name: remove our tar.gz unarchive destination
   file: path={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz state=absent
 
+- name: create our tar.gz unarchive destination for creates
+  file: path={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz state=directory
+
+- name: unarchive a tar.gz file with creates set
+  unarchive: src={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive.tar.gz dest={{output_dir | expanduser}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz copy=no creates={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz/foo-unarchive.txt
+  register: unarchive02b
+
+- name: verify that the file was marked as changed
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "unarchive02b.changed == true"
+
+- name: verify that the file was unarchived
+  file: path={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz/foo-unarchive.txt state=file
+
+- name: unarchive a tar.gz file with creates over an existing file
+  unarchive: src={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive.tar.gz dest={{output_dir | expanduser}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz copy=no creates={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz/foo-unarchive.txt
+  register: unarchive02c
+
+- name: verify that the file was not marked as changed
+  assert:
+    that:
+      - "unarchive02c.changed == false"
+
+- name: remove our tar.gz unarchive destination
+  file: path={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-tar-gz state=absent
+
 - name: create our zip unarchive destination
   file: path={{output_dir}}/test-unarchive-zip state=directory