diff --git a/django/core/template/loader.py b/django/core/template/loader.py
index f2b2d88f21..0369a35e2b 100644
--- a/django/core/template/loader.py
+++ b/django/core/template/loader.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 # installed, because pkg_resources is necessary to read eggs.
 
 from django.core.exceptions import ImproperlyConfigured
-from django.core.template import Template, Context, Node, TemplateDoesNotExist, TemplateSyntaxError, resolve_variable_with_filters, register_tag
+from django.core.template import Template, Context, Node, TemplateDoesNotExist, TemplateSyntaxError, resolve_variable_with_filters, resolve_variable, register_tag
 from django.conf.settings import TEMPLATE_LOADERS
 
 template_source_loaders = []
@@ -160,6 +160,32 @@ class ExtendsNode(Node):
                 parent_block.nodelist = block_node.nodelist
         return compiled_parent.render(context)
 
+class ConstantIncludeNode(Node):
+    def __init__(self, template_path):
+        try:
+            t = get_template(template_path)
+            self.template = t
+        except:
+            self.template = None
+
+    def render(self, context):
+        if self.template:
+            return self.template.render(context)
+        else:
+            return ''
+
+class IncludeNode(Node):
+    def __init__(self, template_name):
+        self.template_name = template_name
+
+    def render(self, context):
+         try:
+             template_name = resolve_variable(self.template_name, context)
+             t = get_template(template_name)
+             return t.render(context)
+         except:
+             return '' # Fail silently for invalid included templates.
+
 def do_block(parser, token):
     """
     Define a block that can be overridden by child templates.
@@ -202,5 +228,22 @@ def do_extends(parser, token):
         raise TemplateSyntaxError, "'%s' cannot appear more than once in the same template" % bits[0]
     return ExtendsNode(nodelist, parent_name, parent_name_var)
 
+def do_include(parser, token):
+    """
+    Loads a template and renders it with the current context.
+
+    Example::
+
+        {% include "foo/some_include" %}
+    """
+    bits = token.contents.split()
+    if len(bits) != 2:
+        raise TemplateSyntaxError, "%r tag takes one argument: the name of the template to be included" % bits[0]
+    path = bits[1]
+    if path[0] in ('"', "'") and path[-1] == path[0]:
+        return ConstantIncludeNode(path[1:-1])
+    return IncludeNode(bits[1])
+
 register_tag('block', do_block)
 register_tag('extends', do_extends)
+register_tag('include', do_include)
diff --git a/docs/templates.txt b/docs/templates.txt
index bf229ee6b7..53df12e6a0 100644
--- a/docs/templates.txt
+++ b/docs/templates.txt
@@ -492,6 +492,40 @@ ifnotequal
 
 Just like ``ifequal``, except it tests that the two arguments are not equal.
 
+include
+~~~~~~~
+
+**Only available in Django development version.**
+
+Loads a template and renders it with the current context. This is a way of
+"including" other templates within a template.
+
+The template name can either be a variable or a hard-coded (quoted) string,
+in either single or double quotes.
+
+This example includes the contents of the template ``"foo/bar"``::
+
+    {% include "foo/bar" %}
+
+This example includes the contents of the template whose name is contained in
+the variable ``template_name``::
+
+    {% include template_name %}
+
+An included template is rendered with the context of the template that's
+including it. This example produces the output ``"Hello, John"``:
+
+    * Context: variable ``person`` is set to ``"john"``.
+    * Template::
+
+        {% include "name_snippet" %}
+
+    * The ``name_snippet`` template::
+
+        Hello, {{ person }}
+
+See also: ``{% ssi %}``.
+
 load
 ~~~~
 
@@ -645,6 +679,8 @@ file are evaluated as template code, within the current context::
 Note that if you use ``{% ssi %}``, you'll need to define
 `ALLOWED_INCLUDE_ROOTS`_ in your Django settings, as a security measure.
 
+See also: ``{% include %}``.
+
 .. _ALLOWED_INCLUDE_ROOTS: http://www.djangoproject.com/documentation/settings/#allowed-include-roots
 
 templatetag
diff --git a/tests/othertests/templates.py b/tests/othertests/templates.py
index 729105d8fc..1211cde86b 100644
--- a/tests/othertests/templates.py
+++ b/tests/othertests/templates.py
@@ -134,6 +134,12 @@ TEMPLATE_TESTS = {
     'ifnotequal03': ("{% ifnotequal a b %}yes{% else %}no{% endifnotequal %}", {"a": 1, "b": 2}, "yes"),
     'ifnotequal04': ("{% ifnotequal a b %}yes{% else %}no{% endifnotequal %}", {"a": 1, "b": 1}, "no"),
 
+    ### INCLUDE TAG ###########################################################
+    'include01': ('{% include "basic-syntax01" %}', {}, "something cool"),
+    'include02': ('{% include "basic-syntax02" %}', {'headline': 'Included'}, "Included"),
+    'include03': ('{% include template_name %}', {'template_name': 'basic-syntax02', 'headline': 'Included'}, "Included"),
+    'include04': ('a{% include "nonexistent" %}b', {}, "ab"),
+
     ### INHERITANCE ###########################################################
 
     # Standard template with no inheritance