diff --git a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-card-image.js b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-card-image.js
index 726fe346d3..8833e259bb 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-card-image.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-card-image.js
@@ -5,17 +5,18 @@ import {
     IMAGE_EXTENSIONS,
     IMAGE_MIME_TYPES
 } from 'ghost-admin/components/gh-image-uploader';
-import {computed} from '@ember/object';
+import {computed, set} from '@ember/object';
 import {htmlSafe} from '@ember/string';
+import {isEmpty} from '@ember/utils';
 import {run} from '@ember/runloop';
 import {inject as service} from '@ember/service';
-import {set} from '@ember/object';
 
 export default Component.extend({
     ui: service(),
     layout,
 
     // attrs
+    files: null,
     payload: null,
     isSelected: false,
     isEditing: false,
@@ -92,6 +93,21 @@ export default Component.extend({
         }
     },
 
+    didReceiveAttrs() {
+        this._super(...arguments);
+
+        // `payload.files` can be set if we have an externaly set image that
+        // should be uploaded. Typical example would be from a paste or drag/drop
+        if (!isEmpty(this.payload.files)) {
+            run.schedule('afterRender', this, function () {
+                this.set('files', this.payload.files);
+
+                // we don't want to  persist any file data in the document
+                delete this.payload.files;
+            });
+        }
+    },
+
     willDestroyElement() {
         this._super(...arguments);
         this._detachHandlers();
diff --git a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-editor.js b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-editor.js
index 469bf88e17..2e28326985 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-editor.js
+++ b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/components/koenig-editor.js
@@ -243,7 +243,11 @@ export default Component.extend({
                 let componentName = CARD_COMPONENT_MAP[cardName];
 
                 // the payload must be copied to avoid sharing the reference
-                payload = copy(payload, true);
+                // `payload.files` is special because it's set by paste/drag-n-drop
+                // events and can't be copied for security reasons
+                let {files} = payload;
+                let payloadCopy = copy(payload, true);
+                payloadCopy.files = files;
 
                 // all of the properties that will be passed through to the
                 // component cards via the template
@@ -251,7 +255,7 @@ export default Component.extend({
                     cardName,
                     componentName,
                     koenigOptions,
-                    payload,
+                    payload: payloadCopy,
                     env,
                     options,
                     editor,
@@ -646,6 +650,35 @@ export default Component.extend({
             return;
         }
 
+        // if we have image files pasted, create an image card for each and set
+        // the payload.files property which will cause the image to be auto-uploaded
+        // NOTE: browser support varies as of May 2018:
+        // - Safari: will paste all images
+        // - Chrome: will only paste the first image
+        // - Firefox: will not paste any images
+        let images = Array.from(event.clipboardData.files).filter(file => file.type.indexOf('image') > -1);
+        if (images.length > 0) {
+            event.preventDefault();
+            event.stopImmediatePropagation();
+
+            editor.run((postEditor) => {
+                let {builder} = postEditor;
+
+                if (editor.activeSection.isBlank) {
+                    postEditor.removeSection(editor.activeSection);
+                }
+
+                images.forEach((image) => {
+                    let payload = {
+                        files: [image]
+                    };
+                    let imageCard = builder.createCardSection('image', payload);
+                    postEditor.insertSection(imageCard);
+                });
+            });
+            return;
+        }
+
         let range = editor.range;
         let {html, text} = getContentFromPasteEvent(event);
 
diff --git a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/templates/components/koenig-card-image.hbs b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/templates/components/koenig-card-image.hbs
index f633c16931..2b9d212d8f 100644
--- a/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/templates/components/koenig-card-image.hbs
+++ b/ghost/admin/lib/koenig-editor/addon/templates/components/koenig-card-image.hbs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     hasEditMode=false
 }}
     {{#gh-uploader
+        files=files
         accept=imageMimeTypes
         extensions=imageExtensions
         onStart=(action "setPreviewSrc")