diff --git a/Doc/library/shutil.rst b/Doc/library/shutil.rst
--- a/Doc/library/shutil.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/shutil.rst
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@
 
 .. function:: copy(src, dst[, symlinks=False]))
 
-   Copy the file *src* to the file or directory *dst*.  If *dst* is a directory, a
+   Copy the file *src* to the file or directory *dst* and return the file's 
+   destination.  If *dst* is a directory, a
    file with the same basename as *src*  is created (or overwritten) in the
    directory specified.  Permission bits are copied.  *src* and *dst* are path
    names given as strings.  If *symlinks* is true, symbolic links won't be
@@ -103,7 +104,8 @@
 .. function:: copy2(src, dst[, symlinks=False])
 
    Similar to :func:`shutil.copy`, but metadata is copied as well -- in fact,
-   this is just :func:`shutil.copy` followed by :func:`copystat`.  This is
+   this is just :func:`shutil.copy` followed by :func:`copystat`. As with
+   :func:`shutil.copy`, return the file's destination.  This is
    similar to the Unix command :program:`cp -p`.  If *symlinks* is true,
    symbolic links won't be followed but recreated instead -- this resembles
    GNU's :program:`cp -P`.
@@ -189,7 +191,8 @@
 
 .. function:: move(src, dst)
 
-   Recursively move a file or directory (*src*) to another location (*dst*).
+   Recursively move a file or directory (*src*) to another location (*dst*)
+   and return the destination.
 
    If the destination is a directory or a symlink to a directory, then *src* is
    moved inside that directory.
diff --git a/Lib/shutil.py b/Lib/shutil.py
--- a/Lib/shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/shutil.py
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@
                 raise
 
 def copy(src, dst, symlinks=False):
-    """Copy data and mode bits ("cp src dst").
+    """Copy data and mode bits ("cp src dst"). Return the file's destination.
 
     The destination may be a directory.
 
@@ -177,9 +177,11 @@
         dst = os.path.join(dst, os.path.basename(src))
     copyfile(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
     copymode(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
+    return dst
 
 def copy2(src, dst, symlinks=False):
-    """Copy data and all stat info ("cp -p src dst").
+    """Copy data and all stat info ("cp -p src dst"). Return the file's 
+    destination."
 
     The destination may be a directory.
 
@@ -191,6 +193,7 @@
         dst = os.path.join(dst, os.path.basename(src))
     copyfile(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
     copystat(src, dst, symlinks=symlinks)
+    return dst
 
 def ignore_patterns(*patterns):
     """Function that can be used as copytree() ignore parameter.
@@ -346,7 +349,8 @@
 
 def move(src, dst):
     """Recursively move a file or directory to another location. This is
-    similar to the Unix "mv" command.
+    similar to the Unix "mv" command. Return the file or directory's
+    destination.
 
     If the destination is a directory or a symlink to a directory, the source
     is moved inside the directory. The destination path must not already
@@ -390,6 +394,7 @@
         else:
             copy2(src, real_dst)
             os.unlink(src)
+    return real_dst
 
 def _destinsrc(src, dst):
     src = abspath(src)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
--- a/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_shutil.py
@@ -992,6 +992,16 @@
         shutil.chown(dirname, user, group)
         check_chown(dirname, uid, gid)
 
+    def test_copy_return_value(self):
+        # copy and copy2 both return their destination path.
+        for fn in (shutil.copy, shutil.copy2):
+            src_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+            dst_dir = self.mkdtemp()
+            src = os.path.join(src_dir, 'foo')
+            write_file(src, 'foo')
+            rv = fn(src, dst_dir)
+            self.assertEqual(rv, os.path.join(dst_dir, 'foo'))
+
 
 class TestMove(unittest.TestCase):
 
@@ -1148,6 +1158,11 @@
         self.assertTrue(os.path.islink(dst_link))
         self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(src, dst_link))
 
+    def test_move_return_value(self):
+        rv = shutil.move(self.src_file, self.dst_dir)
+        self.assertEqual(rv,
+                os.path.join(self.dst_dir, os.path.basename(self.src_file)))
+
 
 class TestCopyFile(unittest.TestCase):