diff --git a/pkg/util/ansible/playbook.go b/pkg/util/ansible/playbook.go
index b6de3ddb67..83a57213b1 100644
--- a/pkg/util/ansible/playbook.go
+++ b/pkg/util/ansible/playbook.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ type Playbook struct {
 	Inventory  Inventory
 	Modules    []Module
 	PrivateKey []byte
+	Files      map[string][]byte
 
 	tmpdir        string
 	noCleanOnExit bool
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ func (pb *Playbook) Copy() *Playbook {
 	pb1.Inventory = gotypes.DeepCopy(pb.Inventory).(Inventory)
 	pb1.Modules = gotypes.DeepCopy(pb.Modules).([]Module)
 	pb1.PrivateKey = gotypes.DeepCopy(pb.PrivateKey).([]byte)
+	pb1.Files = gotypes.DeepCopy(pb.Files).(map[string][]byte)
 	return pb1
 }
 
@@ -160,6 +162,22 @@ func (pb *Playbook) Run(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// write out files
+	for name, content := range pb.Files {
+		path := filepath.Join(tmpdir, "files", name)
+		dir := filepath.Dir(path)
+		err = os.MkdirAll(dir, os.FileMode(0700))
+		if err != nil {
+			err = errors.WithMessagef(err, "mkdir -p %s", dir)
+			return
+		}
+		err = ioutil.WriteFile(path, content, os.FileMode(0600))
+		if err != nil {
+			err = errors.WithMessagef(err, "writing file %s", name)
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 	// run modules one by one
 	var errs []error
 	defer func() {
@@ -185,6 +203,7 @@ func (pb *Playbook) Run(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 			args = append(args, "--private-key", privateKey)
 		}
 		cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "ansible", args...)
+		cmd.Dir = pb.tmpdir
 		cmd.Env = os.Environ()
 		cmd.Env = append(cmd.Env, "ANSIBLE_HOST_KEY_CHECKING=False")
 		stdout, _ := cmd.StdoutPipe()
diff --git a/pkg/util/ansible/playbook_test.go b/pkg/util/ansible/playbook_test.go
index f859dcd219..d0ebcc3616 100644
--- a/pkg/util/ansible/playbook_test.go
+++ b/pkg/util/ansible/playbook_test.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ package ansible
 import (
 	"context"
 	"os/exec"
+	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 )
 
@@ -45,10 +46,37 @@ func TestPlaybook(t *testing.T) {
 		{
 			Name: "ping",
 		},
+		{
+			Name: "copy",
+			Args: []string{
+				"src=afile",
+				"dest=/tmp/afile",
+			},
+		},
+		{
+			Name: "copy",
+			Args: []string{
+				"src=adir/afile",
+				"dest=/tmp/adirfile",
+			},
+		},
 	}
-	err := pb.Run(context.TODO())
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("not expecting err: %v", err)
+	pb.Files = map[string][]byte{
+		"afile":      []byte("afilecontent"),
+		"adir/afile": []byte("afilecontent under adir"),
 	}
-	t.Logf("%s", pb.Output())
+
+	t.Run("copy", func(t *testing.T) {
+		pb2 := pb.Copy()
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(pb2, pb) {
+			t.Errorf("copy and the original should be equal")
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("run", func(t *testing.T) {
+		err := pb.Run(context.TODO())
+		t.Logf("%s", pb.Output())
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("not expecting err: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
 }