diff --git a/lib/cask/artifact.rb b/lib/cask/artifact.rb
index 0ca666af28..efcd9ba7c2 100644
--- a/lib/cask/artifact.rb
+++ b/lib/cask/artifact.rb
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ require 'cask/artifact/hardlinked'
 require 'cask/artifact/app'
 require 'cask/artifact/binary'
 require 'cask/artifact/after_block'
+require 'cask/artifact/before_block'
 require 'cask/artifact/colorpicker'
 require 'cask/artifact/font'
 require 'cask/artifact/nested_container'
@@ -27,6 +28,7 @@ module Cask::Artifact
   #
   def self.artifacts
     [
+      Cask::Artifact::BeforeBlock,
       Cask::Artifact::NestedContainer,
       Cask::Artifact::App,
       Cask::Artifact::Colorpicker,
diff --git a/lib/cask/artifact/before_block.rb b/lib/cask/artifact/before_block.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a9eaa8bc33
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/cask/artifact/before_block.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+class Cask::Artifact::BeforeBlock < Cask::Artifact::Base
+  def self.me?(cask)
+    cask.artifacts[:before_install].any? ||
+      cask.artifacts[:before_uninstall].any?
+  end
+
+  def install
+    @cask.artifacts[:before_install].each { |block| @cask.instance_eval &block }
+  end
+
+  def uninstall
+    @cask.artifacts[:before_uninstall].each { |block| @cask.instance_eval &block }
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/cask/dsl.rb b/lib/cask/dsl.rb
index 14d6d63b81..6865981975 100644
--- a/lib/cask/dsl.rb
+++ b/lib/cask/dsl.rb
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ module Cask::DSL
 
     ARTIFACT_BLOCK_TYPES = [
       :after_install,
-      :after_uninstall
+      :after_uninstall,
+      :before_install,
+      :before_uninstall,
     ]
 
     ARTIFACT_BLOCK_TYPES.each do |type|
diff --git a/test/cask/artifact/before_block_test.rb b/test/cask/artifact/before_block_test.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e80bec0771
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cask/artifact/before_block_test.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+require 'test_helper'
+
+describe Cask::Artifact::BeforeBlock do
+  describe 'install' do
+    it 'calls the specified block before installing' do
+      called      = false
+      yielded_arg = nil
+
+      CaskWithBeforeInstall = Class.new(Cask)
+      CaskWithBeforeInstall.class_eval do
+        before_install do |c|
+          called = true
+          yielded_arg = c
+        end
+      end
+
+      cask = CaskWithBeforeInstall.new
+      Cask::Artifact::BeforeBlock.new(cask).install
+
+      called.must_equal true
+      yielded_arg.must_equal cask
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe 'uninstall' do
+    it 'calls the specified block before uninstalling, passing the cask' do
+      called      = false
+      yielded_arg = nil
+
+      CaskWithBeforeUninstall = Class.new(Cask)
+      CaskWithBeforeUninstall.class_eval do
+        before_uninstall do |c|
+          called = true
+          yielded_arg = c
+        end
+      end
+
+      cask = CaskWithBeforeUninstall.new
+      Cask::Artifact::BeforeBlock.new(cask).uninstall
+
+      called.must_equal true
+      yielded_arg.must_equal cask
+    end
+  end
+end