diff --git a/meta/classes/package_tar.bbclass b/meta/classes/package_tar.bbclass
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f9e2292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/meta/classes/package_tar.bbclass
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+inherit package
+
+IMAGE_PKGTYPE ?= "tar"
+
+python do_package_tar () {
+    import subprocess
+    workdir = d.getVar('WORKDIR', True)
+    if not workdir:
+        bb.error("WORKDIR not defined, unable to package")
+        return
+
+    outdir = d.getVar('DEPLOY_DIR_TAR', True)
+    if not outdir:
+        bb.error("DEPLOY_DIR_TAR not defined, unable to package")
+        return
+
+    dvar = d.getVar('D', True)
+    if not dvar:
+        bb.error("D not defined, unable to package")
+        return
+
+    packages = d.getVar('PACKAGES', True)
+    if not packages:
+        bb.debug(1, "PACKAGES not defined, nothing to package")
+        return
+
+    pkgdest = d.getVar('PKGDEST', True)
+
+    bb.utils.mkdirhier(outdir)
+    bb.utils.mkdirhier(dvar)
+
+    for pkg in packages.split():
+        localdata = bb.data.createCopy(d)
+        root = "%s/%s" % (pkgdest, pkg)
+
+        overrides = localdata.getVar('OVERRIDES', False)
+        localdata.setVar('OVERRIDES', '%s:%s' % (overrides, pkg))
+        bb.data.update_data(localdata)
+
+        bb.utils.mkdirhier(root)
+        basedir = os.path.dirname(root)
+        tarfn = localdata.expand("${DEPLOY_DIR_TAR}/${PKG}-${PKGV}-${PKGR}.tar.gz")
+        os.chdir(root)
+        dlist = os.listdir(root)
+        if not dlist:
+            bb.note("Not creating empty archive for %s-%s-%s" % (pkg, localdata.getVar('PKGV', True), localdata.getVar('PKGR', True)))
+            continue
+        args = "tar -cz --exclude=CONTROL --exclude=DEBIAN -f".split()
+        ret = subprocess.call(args + [tarfn] + dlist)
+        if ret != 0:
+            bb.error("Creation of tar %s failed." % tarfn)
+}
+
+python () {
+    if d.getVar('PACKAGES', True) != '':
+        deps = (d.getVarFlag('do_package_write_tar', 'depends') or "").split()
+        deps.append('tar-native:do_populate_sysroot')
+        deps.append('virtual/fakeroot-native:do_populate_sysroot')
+        d.setVarFlag('do_package_write_tar', 'depends', " ".join(deps))
+        d.setVarFlag('do_package_write_tar', 'fakeroot', "1")
+}
+
+
+python do_package_write_tar () {
+    bb.build.exec_func("read_subpackage_metadata", d)
+    bb.build.exec_func("do_package_tar", d)
+}
+do_package_write_tar[dirs] = "${D}"
+addtask package_write_tar before do_build after do_packagedata do_package