diff --git a/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_receive_file.py b/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_receive_file.py
index b51371c..aa73980 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_receive_file.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_receive_file.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import sys, os, json
 from nacl.secret import SecretBox
 from wormhole.blocking.transcribe import Receiver, WrongPasswordError
 from wormhole.blocking.transit import TransitReceiver
+from .progress import start_progress, update_progress, finish_progress
 
 APPID = "lothar.com/wormhole/file-xfer"
 
@@ -39,17 +40,25 @@ def receive_file(so):
     transit_receiver.add_their_direct_hints(tdata["direct_connection_hints"])
     transit_receiver.add_their_relay_hints(tdata["relay_connection_hints"])
     skt = transit_receiver.establish_connection()
-    print("Receiving %d bytes.." % filesize)
+
+    print("Receiving %d bytes for '%s'.." % (filesize, filename))
+
     encrypted = b""
+    next_update = start_progress(encrypted_filesize)
     while len(encrypted) < encrypted_filesize:
         more = skt.recv(encrypted_filesize - len(encrypted))
         if not more:
+            print()
             print("Connection dropped before full file received")
             print("got %d bytes, wanted %d" % (len(encrypted), encrypted_filesize))
             return 1
         encrypted += more
+        next_update = update_progress(next_update, len(encrypted),
+                                      encrypted_filesize)
+    finish_progress(encrypted_filesize)
     assert len(encrypted) == encrypted_filesize
 
+    print("Decrypting..")
     decrypted = SecretBox(xfer_key).decrypt(encrypted)
 
     # only write to the current directory, and never overwrite anything
diff --git a/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_send_file.py b/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_send_file.py
index 1188650..62201cf 100644
--- a/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_send_file.py
+++ b/src/wormhole/scripts/cmd_send_file.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import os, sys, json
 from nacl.secret import SecretBox
 from wormhole.blocking.transcribe import Initiator, WrongPasswordError
 from wormhole.blocking.transit import TransitSender
+from .progress import start_progress, update_progress, finish_progress
 
 APPID = "lothar.com/wormhole/file-xfer"
 
@@ -38,6 +39,8 @@ def send_file(so):
     #print("them: %r" % (them_d,))
     xfer_key = i.derive_key(APPID+"/xfer-key", SecretBox.KEY_SIZE)
 
+    print("Encrypting %d bytes.." % filesize)
+
     box = SecretBox(xfer_key)
     with open(filename, "rb") as f:
         plaintext = f.read()
@@ -51,11 +54,14 @@ def send_file(so):
     transit_sender.add_their_relay_hints(tdata["relay_connection_hints"])
     skt = transit_sender.establish_connection()
 
-    print("Sending %d bytes.." % filesize)
+    print("Sending..")
+
     sent = 0
+    next_update = start_progress(len(encrypted))
     while sent < len(encrypted):
-        more = skt.send(encrypted[sent:])
-        sent += more
+        sent += skt.send(encrypted[sent:])
+        next_update = update_progress(next_update, sent, len(encrypted))
+    finish_progress(len(encrypted))
 
     print("File sent.. waiting for confirmation")
     # ack is a short newline-terminated string, followed by socket close. A long
diff --git a/src/wormhole/scripts/progress.py b/src/wormhole/scripts/progress.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e74248d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/wormhole/scripts/progress.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
+import sys, time
+
+def print_progress(completed, expected):
+    # scp does "<<FILENAME >>(13%  168MB  39.3MB/s   00:27 ETA)"
+    # we do "Progress: ####         13%  168MB"
+    fmt = "Progress: %-40s %3d%%  %4d%s"
+    short_unit_size, short_unit_name = 1, "B"
+    if expected > 9999:
+        short_unit_size, short_unit_name = 1000, "KB"
+    if expected > 9999*1000:
+        short_unit_size, short_unit_name = 1000*1000, "MB"
+    if expected > 9999*1000*1000:
+        short_unit_size, short_unit_name = 1000*1000*1000, "GB"
+
+    percentage_complete = 1.0 * completed / expected
+    bars = "#" * int(percentage_complete * 40)
+    perc = int(100 * percentage_complete)
+    short_unit_count = int(completed / short_unit_size)
+    out = fmt % (bars, perc, short_unit_count, short_unit_name)
+    print("\r"+" "*70, end="")
+    print("\r"+out, end="")
+    sys.stdout.flush()
+
+def start_progress(expected, UPDATE_EVERY=0.2):
+    print_progress(0, expected)
+    next_update = time.time() + UPDATE_EVERY
+    return next_update
+
+def update_progress(next_update, completed, expected, UPDATE_EVERY=0.2):
+    now = time.time()
+    if now < next_update:
+        return next_update
+    next_update = now + UPDATE_EVERY
+    print_progress(completed, expected)
+    return next_update
+
+def finish_progress(expected):
+    print_progress(expected, expected)
+    print()