diff --git a/weed/command/filer_copy.go b/weed/command/filer_copy.go
index 777e52ab6..c18b9f055 100644
--- a/weed/command/filer_copy.go
+++ b/weed/command/filer_copy.go
@@ -29,16 +29,17 @@ var (
 )
 
 type CopyOptions struct {
-	filerGrpcPort  *int
-	master         *string
-	include        *string
-	replication    *string
-	collection     *string
-	ttl            *string
-	maxMB          *int
-	grpcDialOption grpc.DialOption
-	masterClient   *wdclient.MasterClient
-	concurrency    *int
+	filerGrpcPort    *int
+	master           *string
+	include          *string
+	replication      *string
+	collection       *string
+	ttl              *string
+	maxMB            *int
+	grpcDialOption   grpc.DialOption
+	masterClient     *wdclient.MasterClient
+	concurrency      *int
+	compressionLevel *int
 }
 
 func init() {
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ func init() {
 	copy.maxMB = cmdCopy.Flag.Int("maxMB", 32, "split files larger than the limit")
 	copy.filerGrpcPort = cmdCopy.Flag.Int("filer.port.grpc", 0, "filer grpc server listen port, default to filer port + 10000")
 	copy.concurrency = cmdCopy.Flag.Int("c", 8, "concurrent file copy goroutines")
+	copy.compressionLevel = cmdCopy.Flag.Int("compressionLevel", 9, "local file compression level 1 ~ 9")
 }
 
 var cmdCopy = &Command{
@@ -265,7 +267,7 @@ func (worker *FileCopyWorker) uploadFileAsOne(ctx context.Context, task FileCopy
 
 		targetUrl := "http://" + assignResult.Url + "/" + assignResult.Fid
 
-		uploadResult, err := operation.Upload(targetUrl, fileName, f, false, mimeType, nil, assignResult.Auth)
+		uploadResult, err := operation.UploadWithLocalCompressionLevel(targetUrl, fileName, f, false, mimeType, nil, assignResult.Auth, *worker.options.compressionLevel)
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("upload data %v to %s: %v\n", fileName, targetUrl, err)
 		}
diff --git a/weed/operation/upload_content.go b/weed/operation/upload_content.go
index dcab1a0ae..4417a0e70 100644
--- a/weed/operation/upload_content.go
+++ b/weed/operation/upload_content.go
@@ -39,8 +39,23 @@ func init() {
 
 var fileNameEscaper = strings.NewReplacer("\\", "\\\\", "\"", "\\\"")
 
-// Upload sends a POST request to a volume server to upload the content
+// Upload sends a POST request to a volume server to upload the content with adjustable compression level
+func UploadWithLocalCompressionLevel(uploadUrl string, filename string, reader io.Reader, isGzipped bool, mtype string, pairMap map[string]string, jwt security.EncodedJwt, compressionLevel int) (*UploadResult, error) {
+	if compressionLevel < 1 {
+		compressionLevel = 1
+	}
+	if compressionLevel > 9 {
+		compressionLevel = 9
+	}
+	return doUpload(uploadUrl, filename, reader, isGzipped, mtype, pairMap, compressionLevel, jwt)
+}
+
+// Upload sends a POST request to a volume server to upload the content with fast compression
 func Upload(uploadUrl string, filename string, reader io.Reader, isGzipped bool, mtype string, pairMap map[string]string, jwt security.EncodedJwt) (*UploadResult, error) {
+	return doUpload(uploadUrl, filename, reader, isGzipped, mtype, pairMap, flate.BestSpeed, jwt)
+}
+
+func doUpload(uploadUrl string, filename string, reader io.Reader, isGzipped bool, mtype string, pairMap map[string]string, compression int, jwt security.EncodedJwt) (*UploadResult, error) {
 	contentIsGzipped := isGzipped
 	shouldGzipNow := false
 	if !isGzipped {
@@ -51,7 +66,7 @@ func Upload(uploadUrl string, filename string, reader io.Reader, isGzipped bool,
 	}
 	return upload_content(uploadUrl, func(w io.Writer) (err error) {
 		if shouldGzipNow {
-			gzWriter, _ := gzip.NewWriterLevel(w, flate.BestSpeed)
+			gzWriter, _ := gzip.NewWriterLevel(w, compression)
 			_, err = io.Copy(gzWriter, reader)
 			gzWriter.Close()
 		} else {
@@ -60,6 +75,7 @@ func Upload(uploadUrl string, filename string, reader io.Reader, isGzipped bool,
 		return
 	}, filename, contentIsGzipped, mtype, pairMap, jwt)
 }
+
 func upload_content(uploadUrl string, fillBufferFunction func(w io.Writer) error, filename string, isGzipped bool, mtype string, pairMap map[string]string, jwt security.EncodedJwt) (*UploadResult, error) {
 	body_buf := bytes.NewBufferString("")
 	body_writer := multipart.NewWriter(body_buf)