diff --git a/PIL/Image.py b/PIL/Image.py
index 6ebff771d..dd97c26bd 100644
--- a/PIL/Image.py
+++ b/PIL/Image.py
@@ -1376,6 +1376,54 @@ class Image(object):
         else:
             self.im.paste(im, box)
 
+    def alpha_composite(self, im, dest=(0,0), source=(0,0)):
+        """ 'In-place' analog of Image.alpha_composite. Composites an image
+        onto this image.
+
+        :param im: image to composite over this one
+        :param dest: Optional 2 tuple (top, left) specifying the upper
+          left corner in this (destination) image.
+        :param source: Optional 2 (top, left) tuple for the upper left
+          corner in the overlay source image, or 4 tuple (top, left, bottom,
+          right) for the bounds of the source rectangle
+          
+        Performance Note: Not currently implemented in-place in the core layer.
+        """
+
+        if not isinstance(source, tuple):
+            raise ValueError("Source must be a tuple")
+        if not isinstance(dest, tuple):
+            raise ValueError("Destination must be a tuple")
+        if not len(source) in (2, 4):
+            raise ValueError("Source must be a 2 or 4-tuple")
+        if not len(dest) == 2:
+            raise ValueError("Destination must be a 2-tuple")
+        if min(source) < 0:
+            raise ValueError("Source must be non-negative")
+        if min(dest) < 0:
+            raise ValueError("Destination must be non-negative")
+
+        if len(source) == 2:
+            source = source + im.size
+
+        # over image, crop if it's not the whole thing. 
+        if source == (0,0) + im.size:
+            overlay = im
+        else:
+            overlay = im.crop(source)
+
+        # target for the paste
+        box = dest + (dest[0] + overlay.width, dest[1] + overlay.height)
+            
+        # destination image. don't copy if we're using the whole image.
+        if dest == (0,0) + self.size:
+            background = self
+        else:
+            background = self.crop(box)
+                        
+        result = alpha_composite(background, overlay)
+        self.paste(result, box)
+        
     def point(self, lut, mode=None):
         """
         Maps this image through a lookup table or function.
diff --git a/Tests/test_image.py b/Tests/test_image.py
index ea813cd84..1f9c4d798 100644
--- a/Tests/test_image.py
+++ b/Tests/test_image.py
@@ -202,6 +202,44 @@ class TestImage(PillowTestCase):
         img_colors = sorted(img.getcolors())
         self.assertEqual(img_colors, expected_colors)
 
+    def test_alpha_inplace(self):
+        src = Image.new('RGBA', (128,128), 'blue')
+
+        over = Image.new('RGBA', (128,128), 'red')
+        mask = hopper('L')
+        over.putalpha(mask)
+
+        target = Image.alpha_composite(src, over)
+
+        # basic
+        full = src.copy()
+        full.alpha_composite(over)
+        self.assert_image_equal(full, target)
+
+        # with offset down to right
+        offset = src.copy()
+        offset.alpha_composite(over, (64, 64))
+        self.assert_image_equal(offset.crop((64, 64, 127, 127)),
+                                target.crop((0, 0, 63, 63)))
+        self.assertEqual(offset.size, (128, 128))
+
+        # offset and crop
+        box = src.copy()
+        box.alpha_composite(over, (64, 64), (0, 0, 32, 32))
+        self.assert_image_equal(box.crop((64, 64, 96, 96)),
+                                target.crop((0, 0, 32, 32)))
+        self.assert_image_equal(box.crop((96, 96, 128, 128)),
+                                src.crop((0, 0, 32, 32)))
+        self.assertEqual(box.size, (128, 128))
+
+        # source point
+        source = src.copy()
+        source.alpha_composite(over, (32, 32), (32, 32, 96, 96))
+
+        self.assert_image_equal(source.crop((32, 32, 96, 96)),
+                                target.crop((32, 32, 96, 96)))
+        self.assertEqual(source.size, (128, 128))
+
     def test_registered_extensions_uninitialized(self):
         # Arrange
         Image._initialized = 0
diff --git a/docs/reference/Image.rst b/docs/reference/Image.rst
index 6dcc816e5..3335cb3da 100644
--- a/docs/reference/Image.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/Image.rst
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ An instance of the :py:class:`~PIL.Image.Image` class has the following
 methods. Unless otherwise stated, all methods return a new instance of the
 :py:class:`~PIL.Image.Image` class, holding the resulting image.
 
+
+.. automethod:: PIL.Image.Image.alpha_composite
 .. automethod:: PIL.Image.Image.convert
 
 The following example converts an RGB image (linearly calibrated according to