diff --git a/lib/train/extras/file_common.rb b/lib/train/extras/file_common.rb
index 247e9caf..64349db9 100644
--- a/lib/train/extras/file_common.rb
+++ b/lib/train/extras/file_common.rb
@@ -106,10 +106,23 @@ def mounted?
       !mounted.nil? && !mounted.stdout.nil? && !mounted.stdout.empty?
     end
 
+    def basename(suffix = nil, sep = '/')
+      fail 'Not yet supported: Suffix in file.basename' unless suffix.nil?
+      @basename ||= detect_filename(path, sep || '/')
+    end
+
     # helper methods provided to any implementing class
 
     private
 
+    def detect_filename(path, sep)
+      idx = path.rindex(sep)
+      return path if idx.nil?
+      idx += 1
+      return detect_filename(path[0..-2], sep) if idx == path.length
+      path[idx..-1]
+    end
+
     def target_type
       # Just return the type unless this is a symlink
       return type unless type == :symlink
diff --git a/lib/train/extras/file_windows.rb b/lib/train/extras/file_windows.rb
index 33b1b72b..29efb704 100644
--- a/lib/train/extras/file_windows.rb
+++ b/lib/train/extras/file_windows.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 # author: Dominik Richter
 # author: Christoph Hartmann
 
+require 'shellwords'
 require 'train/extras/stat'
 
 # PS C:\Users\Administrator> Get-Item -Path C:\test.txt | Select-Object -Property BaseName, FullName, IsReadOnly, Exists,
@@ -16,6 +17,10 @@ def initialize(backend, path)
       @spath = Shellwords.escape(@path)
     end
 
+    def basename(suffix = nil, sep = '\\')
+      super(suffix, sep)
+    end
+
     def content
       return @content if defined?(@content)
       @content = @backend.run_command(
diff --git a/test/unit/extras/file_common_test.rb b/test/unit/extras/file_common_test.rb
index b0829216..4e1a423b 100644
--- a/test/unit/extras/file_common_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/extras/file_common_test.rb
@@ -130,4 +130,50 @@ def mockup(stubs)
       fc.unix_mode_mask('all', 'r').must_equal 0444
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'basename helper' do
+    def fc(path)
+      mockup(type: :file, path: path)
+    end
+
+    it 'works with an empty path' do
+      fc('').basename.must_equal ''
+    end
+
+    it 'separates a simple path (defaults to unix mode)' do
+      fc('/dir/file').basename.must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'separates a simple path (Unix mode)' do
+      fc('/dir/file').basename(nil, '/').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'separates a simple path (Windows mode)' do
+      fc('C:\dir\file').basename(nil, '\\').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'identifies a folder name (Unix mode)' do
+      fc('/dir/file/').basename(nil, '/').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'identifies a folder name (Windows mode)' do
+      fc('C:\dir\file\\').basename(nil, '\\').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'ignores tailing separators (Unix mode)' do
+      fc('/dir/file///').basename(nil, '/').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'ignores tailing separators (Windows mode)' do
+      fc('C:\dir\file\\\\\\').basename(nil, '\\').must_equal 'file'
+    end
+
+    it 'doesnt work with backward slashes (Unix mode)' do
+      fc('C:\dir\file').basename(nil, '/').must_equal 'C:\\dir\file'
+    end
+
+    it 'doesnt work with forward slashes (Windows mode)' do
+      fc('/dir/file').basename(nil, '\\').must_equal '/dir/file'
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/test/unit/extras/linux_file_test.rb b/test/unit/extras/linux_file_test.rb
index 38b48296..71173c3d 100644
--- a/test/unit/extras/linux_file_test.rb
+++ b/test/unit/extras/linux_file_test.rb
@@ -18,6 +18,14 @@ def mock_stat(path, out, err = '', code = 0)
     )
   end
 
+  it 'provides the full path' do
+    cls.new(backend, '/dir/file').path.must_equal '/dir/file'
+  end
+
+  it 'provides the basename to a unix path' do
+    cls.new(backend, '/dir/file').basename.must_equal 'file'
+  end
+
   it 'reads file contents' do
     out = rand.to_s
     backend.mock_command('cat path || echo -n', out)
diff --git a/test/unit/extras/windows_file_test.rb b/test/unit/extras/windows_file_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56f2a8e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/extras/windows_file_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# encoding: utf-8
+require 'helper'
+require 'train/transports/mock'
+require 'train/extras'
+
+describe 'file common' do
+  let(:cls) { Train::Extras::WindowsFile }
+  let(:backend) {
+    backend = Train::Transports::Mock.new.connection
+    backend.mock_os({ family: 'windows' })
+    backend
+  }
+
+  it 'provides the full path' do
+    cls.new(backend, 'C:\dir\file').path.must_equal 'C:\dir\file'
+  end
+
+  it 'provides the basename to a unix path' do
+    cls.new(backend, 'C:\dir\file').basename.must_equal 'file'
+  end
+
+  it 'reads file contents' do
+    out = rand.to_s
+    backend.mock_command('Get-Content("path") | Out-String', out)
+    cls.new(backend, 'path').content.must_equal out
+  end
+
+  # TODO: add all missing file tests!!
+end