diff --git a/src/ripple/basics/Archive.h b/src/ripple/basics/Archive.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7eead5d7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ripple/basics/Archive.h
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/*
+    This file is part of rippled: https://github.com/ripple/rippled
+    Copyright (c) 2012, 2018 Ripple Labs Inc.
+
+    Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+    purpose  with  or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+    copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+
+    THE  SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+    WITH  REGARD  TO  THIS  SOFTWARE  INCLUDING  ALL  IMPLIED  WARRANTIES  OF
+    MERCHANTABILITY  AND  FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+    ANY  SPECIAL ,  DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+    WHATSOEVER  RESULTING  FROM  LOSS  OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
+    ACTION  OF  CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
+    OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+*/
+//==============================================================================
+
+#ifndef RIPPLE_BASICS_ARCHIVE_H_INCLUDED
+#define RIPPLE_BASICS_ARCHIVE_H_INCLUDED
+
+#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
+
+namespace ripple {
+
+/** Extract a tar archive compressed with lz4
+
+    @param src the path of the archive to be extracted
+    @param dst the directory to extract to
+
+    @throws runtime_error
+*/
+void
+extractTarLz4(
+    boost::filesystem::path const& src,
+    boost::filesystem::path const& dst);
+
+} // ripple
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/ripple/basics/impl/Archive.cpp b/src/ripple/basics/impl/Archive.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..632d87953
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ripple/basics/impl/Archive.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,119 @@
+//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+/*
+    This file is part of rippled: https://github.com/ripple/rippled
+    Copyright (c) 2012, 2018 Ripple Labs Inc.
+
+    Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+    purpose  with  or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+    copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+
+    THE  SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE AUTHOR DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES
+    WITH  REGARD  TO  THIS  SOFTWARE  INCLUDING  ALL  IMPLIED  WARRANTIES  OF
+    MERCHANTABILITY  AND  FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHOR BE LIABLE FOR
+    ANY  SPECIAL ,  DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES
+    WHATSOEVER  RESULTING  FROM  LOSS  OF USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN
+    ACTION  OF  CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF
+    OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
+*/
+//==============================================================================
+
+#include <ripple/basics/Archive.h>
+#include <ripple/basics/contract.h>
+
+#include <archive.h>
+#include <archive_entry.h>
+
+namespace ripple {
+
+void
+extractTarLz4(
+    boost::filesystem::path const& src,
+    boost::filesystem::path const& dst)
+{
+    if (!is_regular_file(src))
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>("Invalid source file");
+
+    using archive_ptr =
+        std::unique_ptr<struct archive, void(*)(struct archive*)>;
+    archive_ptr ar {archive_read_new(),
+        [](struct archive* ar)
+        {
+            archive_read_free(ar);
+        }};
+    if (!ar)
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>("Failed to allocate archive");
+
+    if (archive_read_support_format_tar(ar.get()) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(ar.get()));
+
+    if (archive_read_support_filter_lz4(ar.get()) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(ar.get()));
+
+    // Examples suggest this block size
+    if (archive_read_open_filename(
+        ar.get(), src.string().c_str(), 10240) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+    {
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(ar.get()));
+    }
+
+    archive_ptr aw {archive_write_disk_new(),
+        [](struct archive* aw)
+        {
+            archive_write_free(aw);
+        }};
+    if (!aw)
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>("Failed to allocate archive");
+
+    if (archive_write_disk_set_options(
+        aw.get(),
+        ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_TIME | ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_PERM |
+        ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_ACL | ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_FFLAGS) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+    {
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(aw.get()));
+    }
+
+    if(archive_write_disk_set_standard_lookup(aw.get()) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+        Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(aw.get()));
+
+    int result;
+    struct archive_entry* entry;
+    while(true)
+    {
+        result = archive_read_next_header(ar.get(), &entry);
+        if (result == ARCHIVE_EOF)
+            break;
+        if (result < ARCHIVE_OK)
+            Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(ar.get()));
+
+        archive_entry_set_pathname(
+            entry, (dst / archive_entry_pathname(entry)).string().c_str());
+        if (archive_write_header(aw.get(), entry) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+            Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(aw.get()));
+
+        if (archive_entry_size(entry) > 0)
+        {
+            const void *buf;
+            size_t sz;
+            la_int64_t offset;
+            while (true)
+            {
+                result = archive_read_data_block(ar.get(), &buf, &sz, &offset);
+                if (result == ARCHIVE_EOF)
+                    break;
+                if (result < ARCHIVE_OK)
+                    Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(ar.get()));
+
+                if (archive_write_data_block(
+                    aw.get(), buf, sz, offset) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+                {
+                    Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(aw.get()));
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (archive_write_finish_entry(aw.get()) < ARCHIVE_OK)
+            Throw<std::runtime_error>(archive_error_string(aw.get()));
+    }
+}
+
+} // ripple
diff --git a/src/ripple/unity/basics2.cpp b/src/ripple/unity/basics2.cpp
index 2d1f4c380..83dedd9f0 100644
--- a/src/ripple/unity/basics2.cpp
+++ b/src/ripple/unity/basics2.cpp
@@ -24,5 +24,6 @@
 #include <ripple/basics/impl/ResolverAsio.cpp>
 #include <ripple/basics/impl/Sustain.cpp>
 #include <ripple/basics/impl/UptimeClock.cpp>
+#include <ripple/basics/impl/Archive.cpp>