diff --git a/src/gfx/generated_image.cpp b/src/gfx/generated_image.cpp
index 8d0ef742..5dc915b9 100644
--- a/src/gfx/generated_image.cpp
+++ b/src/gfx/generated_image.cpp
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <data/field/symbol.hpp>
 #include <render/symbol/filter.hpp>
 #include <gui/util.hpp> // load_resource_image
+#include <wx/wfstream.h>
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : GeneratedImage
 
@@ -515,3 +516,50 @@ bool ImageValueToImage::operator == (const GeneratedImage& that) const {
   return that2 && filename == that2->filename
                && age      == that2->age;
 }
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ExternalImage
+
+Image ExternalImage::generate(const Options& opt) const {
+  wxFileName fname(filepath, wxPATH_UNIX);
+
+  // does the file pointed to by filepath exist?
+  if (!fname.FileExists()) {
+    String filePathString = fname.GetAbsolutePath().ToStdString();
+    throw ScriptError(format_string(_("The file '%s' was not found."),filePathString));
+  }
+
+  String fileExt = fname.GetExt();
+  wxBitmapType bitmapType;
+  if (fileExt == _("png"))
+    bitmapType = wxBITMAP_TYPE_PNG;
+  else if (fileExt == _("jpg"))
+    bitmapType = wxBITMAP_TYPE_JPEG;
+  else
+    bitmapType = wxBITMAP_TYPE_BMP;
+
+  // does the file exist in the package?
+  String fileNameNoExtension = fname.GetName();
+  if (!opt.local_package->existsIn(fileNameNoExtension)) {
+    auto outStream = opt.local_package->openOut(fileNameNoExtension);
+    wxFileInputStream inStream = wxFileInputStream(filepath.ToStdString());
+    if (!inStream.IsOk()) throw ScriptError("Failed to create file stream.");
+    outStream->Write(inStream);
+    if (!outStream->IsOk()) throw ScriptError("Failed to write image to set.");
+    outStream->Close();
+  }
+
+  // save the package with the new image
+  opt.local_package->saveAs(opt.local_package->relativeFilename(), false, false);
+
+  auto imageInputStream = opt.local_package->openIn(fileNameNoExtension);
+  Image img(*imageInputStream.get(), bitmapType);
+
+  if (!img.IsOk()) throw ScriptError("The image could not be created.");
+
+  return img;
+}
+
+bool ExternalImage::operator == (const GeneratedImage& that) const {
+  const ExternalImage* that2 = dynamic_cast<const ExternalImage*>(&that);
+  return that2 && that2->filepath == filepath;
+}
diff --git a/src/gfx/generated_image.hpp b/src/gfx/generated_image.hpp
index d1e78221..42941923 100644
--- a/src/gfx/generated_image.hpp
+++ b/src/gfx/generated_image.hpp
@@ -398,4 +398,16 @@ private:
   LocalFileName filename;
   Age age; ///< Age the image was last updated
 };
-
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ExternalImage
+
+/// Load an image from the filesystem
+class ExternalImage : public GeneratedImage {
+public:
+    ExternalImage(const String& filepath) : filepath(filepath) {};
+    Image generate(const Options&) const override;
+    bool operator == (const GeneratedImage& that) const override;
+    inline String toString() { return filepath; }
+private:
+    String filepath;
+};
diff --git a/src/script/functions/construction.cpp b/src/script/functions/construction.cpp
index d876d579..468bdd80 100644
--- a/src/script/functions/construction.cpp
+++ b/src/script/functions/construction.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,11 @@
 #include <data/field/choice.hpp>
 #include <data/field/package_choice.hpp>
 #include <data/field/color.hpp>
+#include <data/field/image.hpp>
 #include <data/game.hpp>
 #include <data/card.hpp>
 #include <util/error.hpp>
+#include <util/io/package.hpp>
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : new_card
 
@@ -45,6 +47,9 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(new_card) {
       pvalue->package_name = v->toString();
     } else if (ColorValue* cvalue = dynamic_cast<ColorValue*>(value)) {
       cvalue->value = v->toColor();
+    } else if (ImageValue* ivalue = dynamic_cast<ImageValue*>(value)) {
+      wxFileName fname( static_cast<ExternalImage*>(v.get())->toString() );
+      ivalue->filename = LocalFileName::fromReadString( fname.GetName(), "");
     } else {
       throw ScriptError(format_string(_("Can not set value '%s', it is not of the right type"),name));
     }
diff --git a/src/script/functions/image.cpp b/src/script/functions/image.cpp
index 23951556..927d529b 100644
--- a/src/script/functions/image.cpp
+++ b/src/script/functions/image.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ SCRIPT_FUNCTION(to_card_image) {
     return make_intrusive<ArbitraryImage>(export_bitmap(set, input, (zoom / 100), deg_to_rad(angle)).ConvertToImage());
   }
 }
+
+SCRIPT_FUNCTION(import_image) {
+  SCRIPT_PARAM(String, path);
+  return make_intrusive<ExternalImage>(path);
+}
 
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : Image functions
 
@@ -261,4 +266,5 @@ void init_script_image_functions(Context& ctx) {
   ctx.setVariable(_("drop_shadow"),      script_drop_shadow);
   ctx.setVariable(_("symbol_variation"), script_symbol_variation);
   ctx.setVariable(_("built_in_image"),   script_built_in_image);
+  ctx.setVariable(_("import_image"),     script_import_image);
 }