diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index b5364a1..6a37401 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ the things you can use it for:
 * List running builds
 * Create/delete/update folders [#f1]_
 * Set the next build number [#f2]_
+* Install plugins
 * and many more..
 
 To install::
diff --git a/jenkins/__init__.py b/jenkins/__init__.py
index aa29712..6826115 100644
--- a/jenkins/__init__.py
+++ b/jenkins/__init__.py
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ import json
 import re
 import socket
 import sys
+import time
 import warnings
 
 import six
@@ -878,6 +879,39 @@ class Jenkins(object):
         return self.jenkins_open(Request(self._build_url(SCRIPT_TEXT),
                                          "script=".encode('utf-8') + script.encode('utf-8')))
 
+    def install_plugin(self, name, include_dependencies=True):
+        '''Install a plugin and its dependencies from the Jenkins public
+        repository at http://repo.jenkins-ci.org/repo/org/jenkins-ci/plugins
+
+        :param name: The plugin short name, ``string``
+        :param include_dependencies: Install the plugin's dependencies, ``bool``
+        :returns: Whether a Jenkins restart is required, ``bool``
+
+        Example::
+            >>> info = server.install_plugin("jabber")
+            >>> print(info)
+            True
+        '''
+        # using a groovy script because Jenkins does not provide a REST endpoint
+        # for installing plugins.
+        install = ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter.getPlugin(\"' + name + '\")'
+                   '.deploy();')
+        if include_dependencies:
+            install = ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter.getPlugin(\"' + name + '\")'
+                       '.getNeededDependencies().each{it.deploy()};') + install
+
+        self.run_script(install)
+        # run_script is an async call to run groovy. we need to wait a little
+        # before we can get a reliable response on whether a restart is needed
+        time.sleep(2)
+        is_restart_required = ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter'
+                               '.isRestartRequiredForCompletion()')
+
+        # response is a string (i.e. u'Result: true\n'), return a bool instead
+        response_str = self.run_script(is_restart_required)
+        response = response_str.split(':')[1].strip().lower() == 'true'
+        return response
+
     def stop_build(self, name, number):
         '''Stop a running Jenkins build.
 
diff --git a/tests/test_script.py b/tests/test_script.py
index e58d8db..8829def 100644
--- a/tests/test_script.py
+++ b/tests/test_script.py
@@ -14,3 +14,63 @@ class JenkinsScriptTest(JenkinsTestBase):
             jenkins_mock.call_args[0][0].get_full_url(),
             u'http://example.com/scriptText')
         self._check_requests(jenkins_mock.call_args_list)
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    def test_install_plugin(self, jenkins_mock):
+        '''Installation of plugins is done with the run_script method
+        '''
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        j.install_plugin("jabber")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            jenkins_mock.call_args[0][0].get_full_url(),
+            u'http://example.com/scriptText')
+        self._check_requests(jenkins_mock.call_args_list)
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'run_script')
+    def test_install_plugin_with_dependencies(self, run_script_mock, jenkins_mock):
+        '''Verify install plugins with dependencies
+        '''
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        j.install_plugin("jabber")
+        self.assertEqual(len(run_script_mock.call_args_list), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(run_script_mock.call_args_list[0][0][0],
+                         ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter.getPlugin(\"jabber\")'
+                          '.getNeededDependencies().each{it.deploy()};Jenkins'
+                          '.instance.updateCenter.getPlugin(\"jabber\").deploy();'))
+        self.assertEqual(run_script_mock.call_args_list[1][0][0],
+                         ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter'
+                          '.isRestartRequiredForCompletion()'))
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'run_script')
+    def test_install_plugin_without_dependencies(self, run_script_mock, jenkins_mock):
+        '''Verify install plugins without dependencies
+        '''
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        j.install_plugin("jabber", include_dependencies=False)
+        self.assertEqual(len(run_script_mock.call_args_list), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(run_script_mock.call_args_list[0][0][0],
+                         ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter'
+                          '.getPlugin(\"jabber\").deploy();'))
+        self.assertEqual(run_script_mock.call_args_list[1][0][0],
+                         ('Jenkins.instance.updateCenter'
+                          '.isRestartRequiredForCompletion()'))
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'run_script')
+    def test_install_plugin_no_restart(self, run_script_mock, jenkins_mock):
+        '''Verify install plugin does not need a restart
+        '''
+        run_script_mock.return_value = u'Result: false\n'
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        self.assertFalse(j.install_plugin("jabber"))
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'run_script')
+    def test_install_plugin_restart(self, run_script_mock, jenkins_mock):
+        '''Verify install plugin needs a restart
+        '''
+        run_script_mock.return_value = u'Result: true\n'
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        self.assertTrue(j.install_plugin("jabber"))