diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindObjectMetadataToRequest.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindObjectMetadataToRequest.java
index 84948e13ed..836f20bed3 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindObjectMetadataToRequest.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindObjectMetadataToRequest.java
@@ -81,6 +81,11 @@ public class BindObjectMetadataToRequest implements Binder {
          headers.put("Content-MD5", base64().encode(md.getContentMetadata().getContentMD5()));
       }
 
+      ObjectMetadata.StorageClass storageClass = md.getStorageClass();
+      if (storageClass != ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.STANDARD) {
+         headers.put("x-amz-storage-class", storageClass.toString());
+      }
+
       return (R) request.toBuilder().replaceHeaders(headers.build()).build();
    }
 }
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindS3ObjectMetadataToRequest.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindS3ObjectMetadataToRequest.java
index c50405cb44..e611bd90d6 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindS3ObjectMetadataToRequest.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/binders/BindS3ObjectMetadataToRequest.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import javax.inject.Singleton;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.binders.BindMapToHeadersWithPrefix;
 import org.jclouds.http.HttpRequest;
 import org.jclouds.rest.Binder;
+import org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata.StorageClass;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.S3Object;
 
 @Singleton
@@ -48,7 +49,14 @@ public class BindS3ObjectMetadataToRequest implements Binder {
             "contentLength must be set, streaming not supported");
       checkArgument(s3Object.getPayload().getContentMetadata().getContentLength() <= 5L * 1024 * 1024 * 1024,
             "maximum size for put object is 5GB");
-      
+
+      StorageClass storageClass = s3Object.getMetadata().getStorageClass();
+      if (storageClass != StorageClass.STANDARD) {
+         request = (R) request.toBuilder()
+               .replaceHeader("x-amz-storage-class", storageClass.toString())
+               .build();
+      }
+
       request = metadataPrefixer.bindToRequest(request, s3Object.getMetadata().getUserMetadata());
 
       return request;
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/S3BlobStore.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/S3BlobStore.java
index 195b637202..9b91048d33 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/S3BlobStore.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/S3BlobStore.java
@@ -266,6 +266,8 @@ public class S3BlobStore extends BaseBlobStore {
       if (overrides.getBlobAccess() == BlobAccess.PUBLIC_READ) {
          options = options.withAcl(CannedAccessPolicy.PUBLIC_READ);
       }
+      // TODO: S3 does not allow putObject if Tier.ARCHIVE.  Instead, copyBlob
+      // after putBlob when the former supports tiers.
       return sync.putObject(container, blob2Object.apply(blob), options);
    }
 
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/BlobToObjectMetadata.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/BlobToObjectMetadata.java
index cfa97aefde..48bae931f4 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/BlobToObjectMetadata.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/BlobToObjectMetadata.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import org.jclouds.http.HttpUtils;
 import org.jclouds.rest.InvocationContext;
 import org.jclouds.rest.internal.GeneratedHttpRequest;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.MutableObjectMetadata;
+import org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata.StorageClass;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.internal.MutableObjectMetadataImpl;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Function;
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ public class BlobToObjectMetadata implements Function<BlobMetadata, MutableObjec
          for (Entry<String, String> entry : from.getUserMetadata().entrySet())
             to.getUserMetadata().put(entry.getKey().toLowerCase(), entry.getValue());
       }
+      to.setStorageClass(StorageClass.fromTier(from.getTier()));
       return to;
    }
 
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/ObjectToBlobMetadata.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/ObjectToBlobMetadata.java
index f8bf9bf374..8af059a1c0 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/ObjectToBlobMetadata.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/functions/ObjectToBlobMetadata.java
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ public class ObjectToBlobMetadata implements Function<ObjectMetadata, MutableBlo
       to.setLocation(locationOfBucket.apply(from.getBucket()));
       to.setType(StorageType.BLOB);
       to.setSize(from.getContentMetadata().getContentLength());
+      to.setTier((from.getStorageClass() == null ? ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.STANDARD : from.getStorageClass()).toTier());
       return to;
    }
 }
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/MutableObjectMetadata.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/MutableObjectMetadata.java
index 8ec9a7100f..945bb073cd 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/MutableObjectMetadata.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/MutableObjectMetadata.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import org.jclouds.io.MutableContentMetadata;
+import org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata.StorageClass;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.internal.MutableObjectMetadataImpl;
 
 import com.google.inject.ImplementedBy;
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/ObjectMetadata.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/ObjectMetadata.java
index 00b85086c8..c439a3567a 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/ObjectMetadata.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/domain/ObjectMetadata.java
@@ -16,10 +16,13 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.s3.domain;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.util.Date;
 import java.util.Map;
 
+import org.jclouds.blobstore.domain.Tier;
 import org.jclouds.io.ContentMetadata;
 
 /**
@@ -31,7 +34,29 @@ import org.jclouds.io.ContentMetadata;
 public interface ObjectMetadata extends Comparable<ObjectMetadata> {
 
    public enum StorageClass {
-      STANDARD, STANDARD_IA, REDUCED_REDUNDANCY
+      STANDARD(Tier.STANDARD),
+      STANDARD_IA(Tier.INFREQUENT),
+      REDUCED_REDUNDANCY(Tier.STANDARD),
+      GLACIER(Tier.ARCHIVE);
+
+      private final Tier tier;
+
+      private StorageClass(Tier tier) {
+         this.tier = checkNotNull(tier, "tier");
+      }
+
+      public static StorageClass fromTier(Tier tier) {
+         switch (tier) {
+         case STANDARD: return StorageClass.STANDARD;
+         case INFREQUENT: return StorageClass.STANDARD_IA;
+         case ARCHIVE: return StorageClass.GLACIER;
+         }
+         throw new IllegalArgumentException("invalid tier: " + tier);
+      }
+
+      public Tier toTier() {
+         return tier;
+      }
    }
 
    /**
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/functions/ParseObjectMetadataFromHeaders.java b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/functions/ParseObjectMetadataFromHeaders.java
index 71d81f0d64..aadb313238 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/functions/ParseObjectMetadataFromHeaders.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/s3/functions/ParseObjectMetadataFromHeaders.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import org.jclouds.http.HttpResponse;
 import org.jclouds.rest.InvocationContext;
 import org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.functions.BlobToObjectMetadata;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.MutableObjectMetadata;
+import org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata.StorageClass;
 
 import com.google.common.annotations.VisibleForTesting;
 import com.google.common.base.Function;
@@ -75,6 +76,10 @@ public class ParseObjectMetadataFromHeaders implements Function<HttpResponse, Mu
       // amz has an etag, but matches syntax for usermetadata
       to.getUserMetadata().remove("object-etag");
       to.setCacheControl(from.getFirstHeaderOrNull(HttpHeaders.CACHE_CONTROL));
+      String storageClass = from.getFirstHeaderOrNull("x-amz-storage-class");
+      if (storageClass != null) {
+         to.setStorageClass(StorageClass.valueOf(storageClass));
+      }
       return to;
    }
 
diff --git a/apis/s3/src/test/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/integration/S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest.java b/apis/s3/src/test/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/integration/S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest.java
index 54890e9a8b..09ab6b3595 100644
--- a/apis/s3/src/test/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/integration/S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest.java
+++ b/apis/s3/src/test/java/org/jclouds/s3/blobstore/integration/S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest.java
@@ -16,13 +16,17 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.integration;
 
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Fail.failBecauseExceptionWasNotThrown;
+
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Properties;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.integration.internal.BaseBlobIntegrationTest;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.integration.internal.BaseBlobStoreIntegrationTest;
+import org.jclouds.http.HttpResponseException;
 import org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.strategy.MultipartUpload;
+import org.testng.SkipException;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
 @Test(groups = "live", testName = "S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest")
@@ -51,4 +55,23 @@ public class S3BlobIntegrationLiveTest extends BaseBlobIntegrationTest {
       super.testPutObjectStream();
    }
 
+   @Override
+   public void testPutBlobTierArchive() throws Exception {
+      try {
+         super.testPutBlobTierArchive();
+         failBecauseExceptionWasNotThrown(HttpResponseException.class);
+      } catch (HttpResponseException hre) {
+         throw new SkipException("S3 does not allow setting Glacier storage class on putBlob", hre);
+      }
+   }
+
+   @Override
+   public void testPutBlobTierArchiveMultipart() throws Exception {
+      try {
+         super.testPutBlobTierArchiveMultipart();
+         failBecauseExceptionWasNotThrown(HttpResponseException.class);
+      } catch (HttpResponseException hre) {
+         throw new SkipException("S3 does not allow setting Glacier storage class on putBlob", hre);
+      }
+   }
 }
diff --git a/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/AWSS3BlobStore.java b/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/AWSS3BlobStore.java
index 3d9f17a555..90ba59d7ba 100644
--- a/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/AWSS3BlobStore.java
+++ b/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/AWSS3BlobStore.java
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@
  */
 package org.jclouds.aws.s3.blobstore;
 
-import static org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.REDUCED_REDUNDANCY;
-
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import javax.inject.Inject;
@@ -25,15 +23,11 @@ import javax.inject.Provider;
 
 import org.jclouds.aws.domain.Region;
 import org.jclouds.aws.s3.AWSS3Client;
-import org.jclouds.aws.s3.blobstore.options.AWSS3PutObjectOptions;
-import org.jclouds.aws.s3.blobstore.options.AWSS3PutOptions;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.BlobStoreContext;
-import org.jclouds.blobstore.domain.Blob;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.domain.PageSet;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.domain.StorageMetadata;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.functions.BlobToHttpGetOptions;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.options.CreateContainerOptions;
-import org.jclouds.blobstore.options.PutOptions;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.strategy.internal.FetchBlobMetadata;
 import org.jclouds.blobstore.util.BlobUtils;
 import org.jclouds.collect.Memoized;
@@ -47,7 +41,6 @@ import org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.functions.ContainerToBucketListOptions;
 import org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.functions.ObjectToBlob;
 import org.jclouds.s3.blobstore.functions.ObjectToBlobMetadata;
 import org.jclouds.s3.domain.BucketMetadata;
-import org.jclouds.s3.domain.ObjectMetadata;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Function;
 import com.google.common.base.Supplier;
@@ -73,25 +66,6 @@ public class AWSS3BlobStore extends S3BlobStore {
       this.blob2Object = blob2Object;
    }
 
-   @Override
-   public String putBlob(String container, Blob blob, PutOptions options) {
-      if (options.isMultipart()) {
-         return putMultipartBlob(container, blob, options);
-      } else if ((options instanceof AWSS3PutOptions) &&
-         (((AWSS3PutOptions) options).getStorageClass() == REDUCED_REDUNDANCY)) {
-         return putBlobWithReducedRedundancy(container, blob);
-
-      } else {
-         return super.putBlob(container, blob, options);
-      }
-   }
-
-   private String putBlobWithReducedRedundancy(String container, Blob blob) {
-      AWSS3PutObjectOptions options = new AWSS3PutObjectOptions();
-      options.storageClass(ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.REDUCED_REDUNDANCY);
-      return getContext().unwrapApi(AWSS3Client.class).putObject(container, blob2Object.apply(blob), options);
-   }
-
    @Override
    public boolean createContainerInLocation(Location location, String container,
                                             CreateContainerOptions options) {
diff --git a/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/options/AWSS3PutObjectOptions.java b/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/options/AWSS3PutObjectOptions.java
index 66ab815c8b..216f49632d 100644
--- a/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/options/AWSS3PutObjectOptions.java
+++ b/providers/aws-s3/src/main/java/org/jclouds/aws/s3/blobstore/options/AWSS3PutObjectOptions.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ public class AWSS3PutObjectOptions extends PutObjectOptions {
       /**
        * @see AWSS3PutObjectOptions#storageClass
        */
+      @Deprecated
       public static AWSS3PutObjectOptions storageClass(ObjectMetadata.StorageClass storageClass) {
          AWSS3PutObjectOptions options = new AWSS3PutObjectOptions();
          return options.storageClass(storageClass);
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ public class AWSS3PutObjectOptions extends PutObjectOptions {
 
    private ObjectMetadata.StorageClass storageClass = ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.STANDARD;
 
+   @Deprecated
    public AWSS3PutObjectOptions storageClass(ObjectMetadata.StorageClass storageClass) {
       this.storageClass = storageClass;
       if (storageClass != ObjectMetadata.StorageClass.STANDARD) {
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ public class AWSS3PutObjectOptions extends PutObjectOptions {
       return this;
    }
 
+   @Deprecated
    public ObjectMetadata.StorageClass getStorageClass() {
       return storageClass;
    }