diff --git a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/FileUtils.java b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/FileUtils.java
index 40c063a9..a038d0b0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/FileUtils.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/plexus/util/FileUtils.java
@@ -1104,6 +1104,16 @@ public static void copyFile( final File source, final File destination )
 
     private static void doCopyFile( File source, File destination )
         throws IOException
+    {
+        // offload to operating system if supported
+        if ( Java7Detector.isJava7() )
+            doCopyFileUsingNewIO( source, destination );
+        else
+            doCopyFileUsingLegacyIO( source, destination );
+    }
+
+    private static void doCopyFileUsingLegacyIO( File source, File destination )
+        throws IOException
     {
         FileInputStream fis = null;
         FileOutputStream fos = null;
@@ -1141,6 +1151,12 @@ private static void doCopyFile( File source, File destination )
         }
     }
 
+    private static void doCopyFileUsingNewIO( File source, File destination )
+        throws IOException
+    {
+        NioFiles.copy( source, destination );
+    }
+
     /**
      * Copy file from source to destination only if source timestamp is later than the destination timestamp.
      * The directories up to <code>destination</code> will be created if they don't already exist.