diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
index 88ecc0f89b..7dcbff8d9a 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/actions/add.py
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
         Add an empty book item to the library. This does not import any formats
         from a book file.
         '''
-        author = series = None
+        author = series = title = None
         index = self.gui.library_view.currentIndex()
         if index.isValid():
             raw = index.model().db.authors(index.row())
@@ -247,8 +247,9 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
                 if authors:
                     author = authors[0]
             series = index.model().db.series(index.row())
+            title = index.model().db.title(index.row())
         dlg = AddEmptyBookDialog(self.gui, self.gui.library_view.model().db,
-                                 author, series)
+                                 author, series, dup_title=title)
         if dlg.exec_() == dlg.Accepted:
             temp_files = []
             num = dlg.qty_to_add
@@ -256,11 +257,16 @@ class AddAction(InterfaceAction):
             title = dlg.selected_title or _('Unknown')
             db = self.gui.library_view.model().db
             ids = []
+            if dlg.duplicate_current_book:
+                origmi = db.get_metadata(index.row(), get_cover=True, cover_as_data=True)
             for x in xrange(num):
-                mi = MetaInformation(title, dlg.selected_authors)
-                if series:
-                    mi.series = series
-                    mi.series_index = db.get_next_series_num_for(series)
+                if dlg.duplicate_current_book:
+                    mi = origmi
+                else:
+                    mi = MetaInformation(title, dlg.selected_authors)
+                    if series:
+                        mi.series = series
+                        mi.series_index = db.get_next_series_num_for(series)
                 fmts = []
                 empty_format = gprefs.get('create_empty_format_file', '')
                 if empty_format:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
index 225dcabb60..0352d029bf 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/add_empty_book.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from calibre.gui2 import gprefs
 
 class AddEmptyBookDialog(QDialog):
 
-    def __init__(self, parent, db, author, series=None, title=None):
+    def __init__(self, parent, db, author, series=None, title=None, dup_title=None):
         QDialog.__init__(self, parent)
         self.db = db
 
@@ -99,7 +99,20 @@ class AddEmptyBookDialog(QDialog):
         button_box.accepted.connect(self.accept)
         button_box.rejected.connect(self.reject)
         self._layout.addWidget(button_box, 10, 0, 1, -1)
+        if dup_title:
+            self.dup_button = b = button_box.addButton(_('&Duplicate current book'), button_box.ActionRole)
+            b.clicked.connect(self.do_duplicate_book)
+            b.setIcon(QIcon(I('edit-copy.png')))
+            b.setToolTip(_(
+                'Make the new empty book records exact duplicates\n'
+                'of the current book "%s", with all metadata identical'
+            ) % dup_title)
         self.resize(self.sizeHint())
+        self.duplicate_current_book = False
+
+    def do_duplicate_book(self):
+        self.duplicate_current_book = True
+        self.accept()
 
     def accept(self):
         gprefs['create_empty_format_file'] = self.format_value.currentText().lower()