diff --git a/python/upload_thumbnail.py b/python/upload_thumbnail.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c7b54c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/python/upload_thumbnail.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#!/usr/bin/python
+
+import httplib2
+import os
+import sys
+
+from apiclient.discovery import build
+from apiclient.errors import HttpError
+from oauth2client.client import flow_from_clientsecrets
+from oauth2client.file import Storage
+from oauth2client.tools import argparser, run_flow
+
+
+# The CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE variable specifies the name of a file that contains
+# the OAuth 2.0 information for this application, including its client_id and
+# client_secret. You can acquire an OAuth 2.0 client ID and client secret from
+# the {{ Google Cloud Console }} at
+# {{ https://cloud.google.com/console }}.
+# Please ensure that you have enabled the YouTube Data API for your project.
+# For more information about using OAuth2 to access the YouTube Data API, see:
+#   https://developers.google.com/youtube/v3/guides/authentication
+# For more information about the client_secrets.json file format, see:
+#   https://developers.google.com/api-client-library/python/guide/aaa_client_secrets
+CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE = "client_secrets.json"
+
+# This OAuth 2.0 access scope allows for full read/write access to the
+# authenticated user's account.
+YOUTUBE_READ_WRITE_SCOPE = "https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube"
+YOUTUBE_API_SERVICE_NAME = "youtube"
+YOUTUBE_API_VERSION = "v3"
+
+# This variable defines a message to display if the CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE is
+# missing.
+MISSING_CLIENT_SECRETS_MESSAGE = """
+WARNING: Please configure OAuth 2.0
+
+To make this sample run you will need to populate the client_secrets.json file
+found at:
+
+   %s
+
+with information from the {{ Cloud Console }}
+{{ https://cloud.google.com/console }}
+
+For more information about the client_secrets.json file format, please visit:
+https://developers.google.com/api-client-library/python/guide/aaa_client_secrets
+""" % os.path.abspath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__),
+                                   CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE))
+
+def get_authenticated_service(args):
+  flow = flow_from_clientsecrets(CLIENT_SECRETS_FILE,
+    scope=YOUTUBE_READ_WRITE_SCOPE,
+    message=MISSING_CLIENT_SECRETS_MESSAGE)
+
+  storage = Storage("%s-oauth2.json" % sys.argv[0])
+  credentials = storage.get()
+
+  if credentials is None or credentials.invalid:
+    credentials = run_flow(flow, storage, args)
+
+  return build(YOUTUBE_API_SERVICE_NAME, YOUTUBE_API_VERSION,
+    http=credentials.authorize(httplib2.Http()))
+
+# Call the API's thumbnails.set method to upload the thumbnail image and
+# associate it with the appropriate video.
+def upload_thumbnail(youtube, video_id, file):
+  youtube.thumbnails().set(
+    videoId=video_id,
+    media_body=file
+  ).execute()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+  # The "videoid" option specifies the YouTube video ID that uniquely
+  # identifies the video for which the thumbnail image is being updated.
+  argparser.add_argument("--video-id", required=True,
+    help="ID of video whose thumbnail you're updating.")
+  # The "file" option specifies the path to the thumbnail image file.
+  argparser.add_argument("--file", required=True,
+    help="Path to thumbnail image file.")
+  args = argparser.parse_args()
+
+  if not os.path.exists(args.file):
+    exit("Please specify a valid file using the --file= parameter.")
+
+  youtube = get_authenticated_service(args)
+  try:
+    upload_thumbnail(youtube, args.video_id, args.file)
+  except HttpError, e:
+    print "An HTTP error %d occurred:\n%s" % (e.resp.status, e.content)
+  else:
+    print "The custom thumbnail was successfully set."