diff --git a/doc/ref_transform.rst b/doc/ref_transform.rst
index d293e3ebe998a632bd547f94a67e675ff0592bfb..8bdd17b6295e9328bbbb4acbadd2be7e14ae625b 100644
--- a/doc/ref_transform.rst
+++ b/doc/ref_transform.rst
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ Manipulating Instructions
 
 .. autofunction:: add_nosync
 
+.. autofunction:: add_barrier
+
 Registering Library Routines
 ----------------------------
 
diff --git a/loopy/__init__.py b/loopy/__init__.py
index aa1d43172a4bd6472f5974c292c4256946fcf542..e48a8b3bdb77f2e2e10bb3546fafe7bf3ceb66c4 100644
--- a/loopy/__init__.py
+++ b/loopy/__init__.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ from loopy.transform.ilp import realize_ilp
 from loopy.transform.batch import to_batched
 from loopy.transform.parameter import assume, fix_parameters
 from loopy.transform.save import save_and_reload_temporaries
-
+from loopy.transform.add_barrier import add_barrier
 # }}}
 
 from loopy.type_inference import infer_unknown_types
@@ -215,6 +215,8 @@ __all__ = [
 
         "save_and_reload_temporaries",
 
+        "add_barrier",
+
         # }}}
 
         "get_dot_dependency_graph",
diff --git a/loopy/transform/add_barrier.py b/loopy/transform/add_barrier.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..00c99edce1ee741572e378d3610e533c6621ecfb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/loopy/transform/add_barrier.py
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+from __future__ import division, absolute_import
+
+__copyright__ = "Copyright (C) 2017 Kaushik Kulkarni"
+
+__license__ = """
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
+all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
+THE SOFTWARE.
+"""
+
+
+from loopy.kernel.instruction import BarrierInstruction
+from loopy.match import parse_match
+from loopy.transform.instruction import add_dependency
+
+__doc__ = """
+.. currentmodule:: loopy
+
+.. autofunction:: add_barrier
+"""
+
+
+# {{{ add_barrier
+
+def add_barrier(knl, insn_before="", insn_after="", id_based_on=None,
+                tags=None, kind="global"):
+    """Takes in a kernel that needs to be added a barrier and returns a kernel
+    which has a barrier inserted into it. It takes input of 2 instructions and
+    then adds a barrier in between those 2 instructions. The expressions can
+    be any inputs that are understood by :func:`loopy.match.parse_match`.
+
+    :arg insn_before: String expression that specifies the instruction(s)
+    before the barrier which is to be added
+    :arg insn_after: String expression that specifies the instruction(s) after
+    the barrier which is to be added
+    :arg id: String on which the id of the barrier would be based on.
+    :arg tags: The tag of the group to which the barrier must be added
+    :arg kind: Kind of barrier to be added. May be "global" or "local".
+    """
+
+    if id_based_on is None:
+        id = knl.make_unique_instruction_id(based_on=kind[0]+"_barrier")
+    else:
+        id = knl.make_unique_instruction_id(based_on=id_based_on)
+
+    match = parse_match(insn_before)
+    insn_before_list = [insn.id for insn in knl.instructions if match(knl,
+                        insn)]
+
+    barrier_to_add = BarrierInstruction(depends_on=frozenset(insn_before_list),
+                                        depends_on_is_final=True,
+                                        id=id,
+                                        tags=tags,
+                                        kind=kind)
+
+    new_knl = knl.copy(instructions=knl.instructions + [barrier_to_add])
+    new_knl = add_dependency(kernel=new_knl,
+                             insn_match=insn_after,
+                             depends_on="id:"+id)
+
+    return new_knl
+
+# }}}
+
+# vim: foldmethod=marker
diff --git a/test/test_transform.py b/test/test_transform.py
index d17f6c707d36214f0f6713da25c8be0691b58d2c..e50605b46672f8e9c1817431f1577742b1f6fb4c 100644
--- a/test/test_transform.py
+++ b/test/test_transform.py
@@ -105,6 +105,27 @@ def test_to_batched(ctx_factory):
     bknl(queue, a=a, x=x)
 
 
+def test_add_barrier(ctx_factory):
+    ctx = ctx_factory()
+    queue = cl.CommandQueue(ctx)
+    knl = lp.make_kernel(
+            "{[i, j, ii, jj]: 0<=i,j, ii, jj<n}",
+            """
+            out[j, i] = a[i, j]{id=transpose}
+            out[ii, jj] = 2*out[ii, jj]{id=double}
+            """)
+    a = np.random.randn(16, 16)
+    knl = lp.add_barrier(knl, "id:transpose", "id:double", "gb1")
+
+    knl = lp.split_iname(knl, "i", 2, outer_tag="g.0", inner_tag="l.0")
+    knl = lp.split_iname(knl, "j", 2, outer_tag="g.1", inner_tag="l.1")
+    knl = lp.split_iname(knl, "ii", 2, outer_tag="g.0", inner_tag="l.0")
+    knl = lp.split_iname(knl, "jj", 2, outer_tag="g.1", inner_tag="l.1")
+
+    evt, (out,) = knl(queue, a=a)
+    assert (np.linalg.norm(out-2*a.T) < 1e-16)
+
+
 def test_rename_argument(ctx_factory):
     ctx = ctx_factory()
     queue = cl.CommandQueue(ctx)