diff --git a/docs/api-channel.md b/docs/api-channel.md
index 9326126e..7e278111 100644
--- a/docs/api-channel.md
+++ b/docs/api-channel.md
@@ -16,6 +16,22 @@ sharp('rgba.png')
 
 Returns **Sharp** 
 
+## ensureAlpha
+
+Ensure alpha channel, if missing. The added alpha channel will be fully opaque. This is a no-op if the image already has an alpha channel.
+
+### Examples
+
+```javascript
+sharp('rgb.jpg')
+  .ensureAlpha()
+  .toFile('rgba.png', function(err, info) {
+    // rgba.png is a 4 channel image with a fully opaque alpha channel
+  });
+```
+
+Returns **Sharp** 
+
 ## extractChannel
 
 Extract a single channel from a multi-channel image.
diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 3d0d1637..e2cd8e4d 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ Requires libvips v8.7.0.
 * Ensure shortest edge is at least one pixel after resizing.
   [#1003](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/1003)
 
+* Add `ensureAlpha` operation to add an alpha channel, if missing.
+  [#1153](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/1153)
+
 * Expose `pages` and `pageHeight` metadata for multi-page input images.
   [#1205](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/1205)
 
diff --git a/lib/channel.js b/lib/channel.js
index bb32eb3b..eb5e6413 100644
--- a/lib/channel.js
+++ b/lib/channel.js
@@ -29,6 +29,23 @@ function removeAlpha () {
   return this;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Ensure alpha channel, if missing. The added alpha channel will be fully opaque. This is a no-op if the image already has an alpha channel.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * sharp('rgb.jpg')
+ *   .ensureAlpha()
+ *   .toFile('rgba.png', function(err, info) {
+ *     // rgba.png is a 4 channel image with a fully opaque alpha channel
+ *   });
+ *
+ * @returns {Sharp}
+ */
+function ensureAlpha () {
+  this.options.ensureAlpha = true;
+  return this;
+}
+
 /**
  * Extract a single channel from a multi-channel image.
  *
@@ -120,6 +137,7 @@ module.exports = function (Sharp) {
   Object.assign(Sharp.prototype, {
     // Public instance functions
     removeAlpha,
+    ensureAlpha,
     extractChannel,
     joinChannel,
     bandbool
diff --git a/lib/constructor.js b/lib/constructor.js
index e848fe7a..40d0acd5 100644
--- a/lib/constructor.js
+++ b/lib/constructor.js
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ const Sharp = function (input, options) {
     joinChannelIn: [],
     extractChannel: -1,
     removeAlpha: false,
+    ensureAlpha: false,
     colourspace: 'srgb',
     // overlay
     overlayGravity: 0,
diff --git a/src/operations.cc b/src/operations.cc
index 73ecb0b7..f34cae04 100644
--- a/src/operations.cc
+++ b/src/operations.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,18 @@ namespace sharp {
     return image;
   }
 
+  /*
+    Ensures alpha channel, if missing.
+  */
+  VImage EnsureAlpha(VImage image) {
+    if (!HasAlpha(image)) {
+      std::vector<double> alpha;
+      alpha.push_back(sharp::MaximumImageAlpha(image.interpretation()));
+      image = image.bandjoin_const(alpha);
+    }
+    return image;
+  }
+
   /*
     Composite overlayImage over image at given position
     Assumes alpha channels are already premultiplied and will be unpremultiplied after
diff --git a/src/operations.h b/src/operations.h
index 5fa2a53c..dd27f684 100644
--- a/src/operations.h
+++ b/src/operations.h
@@ -30,6 +30,11 @@ namespace sharp {
   */
   VImage RemoveAlpha(VImage image);
 
+  /*
+    Ensures alpha channel, if missing.
+  */
+  VImage EnsureAlpha(VImage image);
+
   /*
     Alpha composite src over dst with given gravity.
     Assumes alpha channels are already premultiplied and will be unpremultiplied after.
diff --git a/src/pipeline.cc b/src/pipeline.cc
index 3c15330d..a0d3d615 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.cc
+++ b/src/pipeline.cc
@@ -677,6 +677,11 @@ class PipelineWorker : public Nan::AsyncWorker {
         image = sharp::RemoveAlpha(image);
       }
 
+      // Ensure alpha channel, if missing
+      if (baton->ensureAlpha) {
+        image = sharp::EnsureAlpha(image);
+      }
+
       // Convert image to sRGB, if not already
       if (sharp::Is16Bit(image.interpretation())) {
         image = image.cast(VIPS_FORMAT_USHORT);
@@ -1236,6 +1241,7 @@ NAN_METHOD(pipeline) {
   baton->extractChannel = AttrTo<int32_t>(options, "extractChannel");
 
   baton->removeAlpha = AttrTo<bool>(options, "removeAlpha");
+  baton->ensureAlpha = AttrTo<bool>(options, "ensureAlpha");
   if (HasAttr(options, "boolean")) {
     baton->boolean = CreateInputDescriptor(AttrAs<v8::Object>(options, "boolean"), buffersToPersist);
     baton->booleanOp = sharp::GetBooleanOperation(AttrAsStr(options, "booleanOp"));
diff --git a/src/pipeline.h b/src/pipeline.h
index b0303d91..0c05a42e 100644
--- a/src/pipeline.h
+++ b/src/pipeline.h
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ struct PipelineBaton {
   VipsOperationBoolean bandBoolOp;
   int extractChannel;
   bool removeAlpha;
+  bool ensureAlpha;
   VipsInterpretation colourspace;
   int tileSize;
   int tileOverlap;
@@ -237,6 +238,7 @@ struct PipelineBaton {
     bandBoolOp(VIPS_OPERATION_BOOLEAN_LAST),
     extractChannel(-1),
     removeAlpha(false),
+    ensureAlpha(false),
     colourspace(VIPS_INTERPRETATION_LAST),
     tileSize(256),
     tileOverlap(0),
diff --git a/test/unit/alpha.js b/test/unit/alpha.js
index 0a02ecea..38c2ad2f 100644
--- a/test/unit/alpha.js
+++ b/test/unit/alpha.js
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@ describe('Alpha transparency', function () {
       fixtures.inputWebP
     ].map(function (input) {
       return sharp(input)
+        .resize(10)
         .removeAlpha()
         .toBuffer({ resolveWithObject: true })
         .then(function (result) {
@@ -122,4 +123,24 @@ describe('Alpha transparency', function () {
         });
     }));
   });
+
+  it('Ensures alpha from fixtures without transparency, ignores those with', function () {
+    return Promise.all([
+      fixtures.inputPngWithTransparency,
+      fixtures.inputPngWithTransparency16bit,
+      fixtures.inputWebPWithTransparency,
+      fixtures.inputJpg,
+      fixtures.inputPng,
+      fixtures.inputWebP
+    ].map(function (input) {
+      return sharp(input)
+        .resize(10)
+        .ensureAlpha()
+        .png()
+        .toBuffer({ resolveWithObject: true })
+        .then(function (result) {
+          assert.strictEqual(4, result.info.channels);
+        });
+    }));
+  });
 });