diff --git a/src/ProtoBuf.jl b/src/ProtoBuf.jl
index 0d73ed7..479f8d1 100644
--- a/src/ProtoBuf.jl
+++ b/src/ProtoBuf.jl
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 module ProtoBuf
 
-import Base: show, copy!, hash, isequal, ==
+import Base: setproperty!, show, copy!, deepcopy, hash, isequal, ==
 
 export writeproto, readproto, ProtoMeta, ProtoMetaAttribs, meta, protobuild
 export filled, isfilled, isfilled_default, which_oneof, fillset, fillset_default, fillunset
-export show, copy!, set_field, set_field!, get_field, clear, add_field, add_field!, has_field, isinitialized
+export setproperty!, show, copy!, deepcopy, set_field, set_field!, get_field, clear, add_field, add_field!, has_field, isinitialized
 export hash, isequal, ==
 export ProtoEnum, ProtoType, lookup, enumstr
 export ProtoServiceException, ProtoRpcChannel, ProtoRpcController, MethodDescriptor, ServiceDescriptor, ProtoService,
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index 1ffe8e2..628ba3b 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 isinitialized(obj::Any) = isfilled(obj)
 
-Base.setproperty!(obj::ProtoType, fld::Symbol, val) = (Core.setfield!(obj, fld, val); fillset(obj, fld); val)
+setproperty!(obj::ProtoType, fld::Symbol, val) = (Core.setfield!(obj, fld, val); fillset(obj, fld); val)
 @deprecate set_field!(obj::Any, fld::Symbol, val) setproperty!(obj, fld, val)
 
 get_field(obj::Any, fld::Symbol) = isfilled(obj, fld) ? getfield(obj, fld) : error("uninitialized field $fld")
@@ -24,6 +24,20 @@ function copy!(to::T, from::T) where T <: ProtoType
     nothing
 end
 
+function deepcopy(from::T) where T <: ProtoType
+    to = T()
+    fillunset(to)
+    fill = filled(from)
+    fnames = fld_names(T)
+    for idx in 1:length(fnames)
+        if fill[1, idx]
+            name = fnames[idx]
+            setproperty!(to, name, deepcopy(getfield(from, name)))
+        end
+    end
+    to
+end
+
 function add_field!(obj::Any, fld::Symbol, val)
     typ = typeof(obj)
     attrib = meta(typ).symdict[fld]
diff --git a/test/testutilapi.jl b/test/testutilapi.jl
index 2bf55ef..a05d090 100644
--- a/test/testutilapi.jl
+++ b/test/testutilapi.jl
@@ -38,8 +38,17 @@ function test_apis()
     @test t.a == "hello"
     @test t.b == false
 end
+
+function test_deepcopy()
+    ts = ProtoBuf.google.protobuf.Timestamp()
+    ts.seconds = 123
+    @test !has_field(ts, :nanos)
+    ts2 = deepcopy(ts)
+    @test !has_field(ts2, :nanos)
+end
+
 end # module ProtoBufTestApis
 
 print_hdr("utility api methods")
 ProtoBufTestApis.test_apis()
-
+ProtoBufTestApis.test_deepcopy()