diff --git a/war/plugin.jelly b/war/plugin.jelly
index 4f8328ae..c469242f 100644
--- a/war/plugin.jelly
+++ b/war/plugin.jelly
@@ -112,12 +112,13 @@
 
     <j:if test="${webSourcesPresent == 'true'}">
       <ant:copy todir="${maven.war.webapp.dir}" filtering="on"
-                preservelastmodified="true">
+                preservelastmodified="true"
+                overwrite="${maven.war.resources.overwrite}">
         <ant:fileset dir="${maven.war.src}"
           includes="${maven.war.src.includes}"
           excludes="${maven.war.src.excludes}">
         </ant:fileset>
-        <j:if test="${maven.war.property.expansion}" >          
+        <j:if test="${maven.war.property.expansion}" >
           <ant:filterchain>
             <ant:expandproperties/>
           </ant:filterchain>
diff --git a/war/plugin.properties b/war/plugin.properties
index a244374f..9fe253e9 100644
--- a/war/plugin.properties
+++ b/war/plugin.properties
@@ -62,3 +62,7 @@ maven.war.manifest=${maven.war.src}/META-INF/MANIFEST.MF
 # Specify if the web.xml contained in the source tree should
 # overwrite the one in the generated webapp directory. 
 maven.war.webxml.overwrite=true
+
+# Specify if resources contained in maven.war.webapp.dir should
+# overwrite existing resources in the generated webapp directory.
+maven.war.resources.overwrite=true
diff --git a/war/xdocs/changes.xml b/war/xdocs/changes.xml
index 8e54c0e9..37f60386 100644
--- a/war/xdocs/changes.xml
+++ b/war/xdocs/changes.xml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
   </properties>
   <body>
     <release version="1.6.2-SNAPSHOT" date="in SVN">
+      <action dev="snicoll" type="update" issue="MPWAR-49">Added property <code>maven.war.resources.overwrite</code> to control is resources overwrites the ones in the generated webapp directory.</action>
       <action dev="snicoll" type="update" issue="MPWAR-37" due-to="Troy Poppe">Added ability to expand properties when copying war resources.</action>
       <action dev="snicoll" type="update" issue="MPWAR-39">Updated wrong documentation regarding web.xml filtering.</action>
       <action dev="snicoll" type="update" issue="MPWAR-46">Now filtering when copying resources.</action>
diff --git a/war/xdocs/properties.xml b/war/xdocs/properties.xml
index 40528083..90b7af09 100644
--- a/war/xdocs/properties.xml
+++ b/war/xdocs/properties.xml
@@ -137,6 +137,14 @@
             the one in the generated webapp directory. Default to true.
           </td>
         </tr>
+        <tr>
+          <td>maven.war.resources.overwrite</td>
+          <td>Yes</td>
+          <td>
+            Specify if resources contained in maven.war.webapp.dir should overwrite
+            existing resources in the generated webapp directory. Default to true.
+          </td>
+        </tr>
         <tr>
           <td>maven.war.index</td>
           <td>Yes</td>