diff --git a/launcher/FileSystem.cpp b/launcher/FileSystem.cpp
index a3b9fe1f..06691fbf 100644
--- a/launcher/FileSystem.cpp
+++ b/launcher/FileSystem.cpp
@@ -152,9 +152,10 @@ bool ensureFolderPathExists(QString foldernamepath)
 /// @brief Copies a directory and it's contents from src to dest
 /// @param offset subdirectory form src to copy to dest
 /// @return if there was an error during the filecopy
-bool copy::operator()(const QString& offset)
+bool copy::operator()(const QString& offset, bool dryRun)
 {
     using copy_opts = fs::copy_options;
+    m_copied = 0;  // reset counter
 
 // NOTE always deep copy on windows. the alternatives are too messy.
 #if defined Q_OS_WIN32
@@ -178,9 +179,10 @@ bool copy::operator()(const QString& offset)
             return;
 
         auto dst_path = PathCombine(dst, relative_dst_path);
-        ensureFilePathExists(dst_path);
-
-        fs::copy(StringUtils::toStdString(src_path), StringUtils::toStdString(dst_path), opt, err);
+        if (!dryRun) {
+            ensureFilePathExists(dst_path);
+            fs::copy(StringUtils::toStdString(src_path), StringUtils::toStdString(dst_path), opt, err);
+        }
         if (err) {
             qWarning() << "Failed to copy files:" << QString::fromStdString(err.message());
             qDebug() << "Source file:" << src_path;
diff --git a/launcher/FileSystem.h b/launcher/FileSystem.h
index e239984e..a9a81123 100644
--- a/launcher/FileSystem.h
+++ b/launcher/FileSystem.h
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 #include <QDir>
 #include <QFlags>
+#include <QObject>
 
 namespace FS {
 
@@ -76,9 +77,10 @@ bool ensureFilePathExists(QString filenamepath);
 bool ensureFolderPathExists(QString filenamepath);
 
 /// @brief Copies a directory and it's contents from src to dest
-class copy {
+class copy : public QObject {
+    Q_OBJECT
    public:
-    copy(const QString& src, const QString& dst)
+    copy(const QString& src, const QString& dst, QObject* parent = nullptr) : QObject(parent)
     {
         m_src.setPath(src);
         m_dst.setPath(dst);
@@ -98,10 +100,17 @@ class copy {
         m_whitelist = whitelist;
         return *this;
     }
-    bool operator()() { return operator()(QString()); }
+
+    bool operator()(bool dryRun = false) { return operator()(QString(), dryRun); }
+
+    int totalCopied() { return m_copied; }
+
+   signals:
+    void fileCopied(const QString& relativeName);
+    // TODO: maybe add a "shouldCopy" signal in the future?
 
    private:
-    bool operator()(const QString& offset);
+    bool operator()(const QString& offset, bool dryRun = false);
 
    private:
     bool m_followSymlinks = true;
@@ -109,6 +118,7 @@ class copy {
     bool m_whitelist = false;
     QDir m_src;
     QDir m_dst;
+    int m_copied;
 };
 
 /**
diff --git a/launcher/InstanceCopyTask.cpp b/launcher/InstanceCopyTask.cpp
index fb118353..0a83ed9c 100644
--- a/launcher/InstanceCopyTask.cpp
+++ b/launcher/InstanceCopyTask.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ void InstanceCopyTask::executeTask()
     FS::copy folderCopy(m_origInstance->instanceRoot(), m_stagingPath);
     folderCopy.followSymlinks(false).matcher(m_matcher.get());
 
-    m_copyFuture = QtConcurrent::run(QThreadPool::globalInstance(), folderCopy);
+    m_copyFuture = QtConcurrent::run(QThreadPool::globalInstance(), [&folderCopy]{
+        return folderCopy();
+    });
     connect(&m_copyFutureWatcher, &QFutureWatcher<bool>::finished, this, &InstanceCopyTask::copyFinished);
     connect(&m_copyFutureWatcher, &QFutureWatcher<bool>::canceled, this, &InstanceCopyTask::copyAborted);
     m_copyFutureWatcher.setFuture(m_copyFuture);