diff --git a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/assets.py b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/assets.py
index 229788f24d..f1f51b3ca9 100644
--- a/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/assets.py
+++ b/cms/djangoapps/contentstore/views/assets.py
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@ from xmodule.modulestore.django import modulestore
 from xmodule.modulestore import Location
 from xmodule.contentstore.content import StaticContent
 from xmodule.util.date_utils import get_default_time_display
+from xmodule.modulestore import InvalidLocationError
+from xmodule.exceptions import NotFoundError
 
 from ..utils import get_url_reverse
 from .access import get_location_and_verify_access
@@ -82,6 +84,8 @@ def asset_index(request, org, course, name):
     })
 
 
+@login_required
+@ensure_csrf_cookie
 def upload_asset(request, org, course, coursename):
     '''
     cdodge: this method allows for POST uploading of files into the course asset library, which will
@@ -145,6 +149,53 @@ def upload_asset(request, org, course, coursename):
     return response
 
 
+@ensure_csrf_cookie
+@login_required
+def remove_asset(request, org, course, name, location):
+    '''
+    This method will perform a 'soft-delete' of an asset, which is basically to copy the asset from
+    the main GridFS collection and into a Trashcan
+    '''
+    get_location_and_verify_access(request, org, course, name)
+
+    # make sure the location is valid
+    try:
+        loc = StaticContent.get_location_from_path(request.path)
+    except InvalidLocationError:
+        # return a 'Bad Request' to browser as we have a malformed Location
+        response = HttpResponse()
+        response.status_code = 400
+        return response
+
+    # also make sure the item to delete actually exists
+    try:
+        content = contentstore().find(loc)
+    except NotFoundError:
+        response = HttpResponse()
+        response.status_code = 404
+        return response
+
+    # ok, save the content into the trashcan
+    contentstore('trashcan').save(content)
+
+    # see if there is a thumbnail as well, if so move that as well
+    if content.thumbnail_location is not None:
+        try:
+            thumbnail_content = contentstore().find(content.thumbnail_location)
+            contentstore('trashcan').save(thumbnail_content)
+            # hard delete thumbnail from origin
+            contentstore().delete(thumbnail_content.get_id())
+            # remove from any caching
+            del_cached_content(thumbnail_content.location)
+        except:
+            pass  # OK if this is left dangling
+
+    # delete the original
+    contentstore().delete(content.get_id())
+    # remove from cache
+    del_cached_content(content.location)
+
+
 @ensure_csrf_cookie
 @login_required
 def import_course(request, org, course, name):
diff --git a/cms/urls.py b/cms/urls.py
index e7444de4e9..ebd5e33323 100644
--- a/cms/urls.py
+++ b/cms/urls.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ urlpatterns = ('',  # nopep8
         'contentstore.views.preview_dispatch', name='preview_dispatch'),
     url(r'^(?P<org>[^/]+)/(?P<course>[^/]+)/course/(?P<coursename>[^/]+)/upload_asset$',
         'contentstore.views.upload_asset', name='upload_asset'),
+
+
     url(r'^manage_users/(?P<location>.*?)$', 'contentstore.views.manage_users', name='manage_users'),
     url(r'^add_user/(?P<location>.*?)$',
         'contentstore.views.add_user', name='add_user'),
@@ -71,8 +73,11 @@ urlpatterns = ('',  # nopep8
         'contentstore.views.edit_static', name='edit_static'),
     url(r'^edit_tabs/(?P<org>[^/]+)/(?P<course>[^/]+)/course/(?P<coursename>[^/]+)$',
         'contentstore.views.edit_tabs', name='edit_tabs'),
+
     url(r'^(?P<org>[^/]+)/(?P<course>[^/]+)/assets/(?P<name>[^/]+)$',
         'contentstore.views.asset_index', name='asset_index'),
+    url(r'^(?P<org>[^/]+)/(?P<course>[^/]+)/assets/remove/(?P<location>.*?)$',
+        'contentstore.views.remove_asset', name='remove_asset'),
 
     # this is a generic method to return the data/metadata associated with a xmodule
     url(r'^module_info/(?P<module_location>.*)$',