diff --git a/cores/esp8266/FS.cpp b/cores/esp8266/FS.cpp
index b2d32fbb5..18eda0c86 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/FS.cpp
+++ b/cores/esp8266/FS.cpp
@@ -143,7 +143,16 @@ bool Dir::next() {
     return _impl->next();
 }
 
+bool FS::begin() {
+    if (!_impl) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return _impl->begin();
+}
 
+File FS::open(const String& path, const char* mode) {
+    return open(path.c_str(), mode);
+}
 
 File FS::open(const char* path, const char* mode) {
     if (!_impl) {
@@ -160,46 +169,40 @@ File FS::open(const char* path, const char* mode) {
     return File(_impl->open(path, om, am));
 }
 
-File FS::open(const String& path, const char* mode) {
-    return FS::open(path.c_str(), mode);
-}
-
 Dir FS::openDir(const char* path) {
     if (!_impl) {
         return Dir();
     }
-
     return Dir(_impl->openDir(path));
 }
 
 Dir FS::openDir(const String& path) {
-    return FS::openDir(path.c_str());
+    return openDir(path.c_str());
 }
 
-struct MountEntry {
-    FSImplPtr fs;
-    String    path;
-    MountEntry* next;
-};
-
-static MountEntry* s_mounted = nullptr;
-
-template<>
-bool mount<FS>(FS& fs, const char* mountPoint) {
-    FSImplPtr p = fs._impl;
-    if (!p || !p->mount()) {
-        DEBUGV("FSImpl mount failed\r\n");
+bool FS::remove(const char* path) {
+    if (!_impl) {
         return false;
     }
-
-    MountEntry* entry = new MountEntry;
-    entry->fs = p;
-    entry->path = mountPoint;
-    entry->next = s_mounted;
-    s_mounted = entry;
-    return true;
+    return _impl->remove(path);
 }
 
+bool FS::remove(const String& path) {
+    return remove(path.c_str());
+}
+
+bool FS::rename(const char* pathFrom, const char* pathTo) {
+    if (!_impl) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    return _impl->rename(pathFrom, pathTo);
+}
+
+bool FS::rename(const String& pathFrom, const String& pathTo) {
+    return rename(pathFrom.c_str(), pathTo.c_str());
+}
+
+
 static bool sflags(const char* mode, OpenMode& om, AccessMode& am) {
     switch (mode[0]) {
         case 'r':
@@ -228,3 +231,80 @@ static bool sflags(const char* mode, OpenMode& om, AccessMode& am) {
     }
     return true;
 }
+
+
+#if defined(FS_FREESTANDING_FUNCTIONS)
+
+/*
+TODO: move these functions to public API:
+*/
+File open(const char* path, const char* mode);
+File open(String& path, const char* mode);
+
+Dir openDir(const char* path);
+Dir openDir(String& path);
+
+template<>
+bool mount<FS>(FS& fs, const char* mountPoint);
+/*
+*/
+
+
+struct MountEntry {
+    FSImplPtr fs;
+    String    path;
+    MountEntry* next;
+};
+
+static MountEntry* s_mounted = nullptr;
+
+template<>
+bool mount<FS>(FS& fs, const char* mountPoint) {
+    FSImplPtr p = fs._impl;
+    if (!p || !p->mount()) {
+        DEBUGV("FSImpl mount failed\r\n");
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    !make sure mountPoint has trailing '/' here
+
+    MountEntry* entry = new MountEntry;
+    entry->fs = p;
+    entry->path = mountPoint;
+    entry->next = s_mounted;
+    s_mounted = entry;
+    return true;
+}
+
+
+/*
+    iterate over MountEntries and look for the ones which match the path
+*/
+File open(const char* path, const char* mode) {
+    OpenMode om;
+    AccessMode am;
+    if (!sflags(mode, om, am)) {
+        DEBUGV("open: invalid mode `%s`\r\n", mode);
+        return File();
+    }
+
+    for (MountEntry* entry = s_mounted; entry; entry = entry->next) {
+        size_t offset = entry->path.length();
+        if (strstr(path, entry->path.c_str())) {
+            File result = entry->fs->open(path + offset);
+            if (result)
+                return result;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return File();
+}
+
+File open(const String& path, const char* mode) {
+    return FS::open(path.c_str(), mode);
+}
+
+Dir openDir(const String& path) {
+    return openDir(path.c_str());
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/cores/esp8266/FS.h b/cores/esp8266/FS.h
index e45871a62..ce6d220ba 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/FS.h
+++ b/cores/esp8266/FS.h
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 #include <Arduino.h>
 #include <memory>
 
+class File;
+class Dir;
+
 class FileImpl;
 typedef std::shared_ptr<FileImpl> FileImplPtr;
 class FSImpl;
@@ -82,25 +85,26 @@ class FS
 {
 public:
     FS(FSImplPtr impl) : _impl(impl) { }
+
+    bool begin();
+
     File open(const char* path, const char* mode);
     File open(const String& path, const char* mode);
+
     Dir openDir(const char* path);
     Dir openDir(const String& path);
 
+    bool remove(const char* path);
+    bool remove(const String& path);
+
+    bool rename(const char* pathFrom, const char* pathTo);
+    bool rename(const String& pathFrom, const String& pathTo);
+
 protected:
     FSImplPtr _impl;
 
-    template <typename Tfs>
-    friend bool mount(Tfs& fs, const char* mountPoint);
 };
 
 extern FS SPIFFS;
 
-template<>
-bool mount<FS>(FS& fs, const char* mountPoint);
-
-File open(const char* path, const char* mode);
-
-Dir openDir(const char* path);
-
 #endif //FS_H
diff --git a/cores/esp8266/FSImpl.h b/cores/esp8266/FSImpl.h
index 1bc6992d7..8977e64c0 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/FSImpl.h
+++ b/cores/esp8266/FSImpl.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ enum AccessMode {
 
 class DirImpl {
 public:
+    virtual ~DirImpl() { }
     virtual FileImplPtr openFile(OpenMode openMode, AccessMode accessMode) = 0;
     virtual const char* fileName() = 0;
     virtual bool next() = 0;
@@ -57,9 +58,11 @@ public:
 
 class FSImpl {
 public:
+    virtual bool begin() = 0;
     virtual FileImplPtr open(const char* path, OpenMode openMode, AccessMode accessMode) = 0;
     virtual DirImplPtr openDir(const char* path) = 0;
-    virtual bool mount() = 0;
+    virtual bool rename(const char* pathFrom, const char* pathTo) = 0;
+    virtual bool remove(const char* path) = 0;
 
 };
 
diff --git a/cores/esp8266/spiffs_api.cpp b/cores/esp8266/spiffs_api.cpp
index d86f18272..d63a1bcd4 100644
--- a/cores/esp8266/spiffs_api.cpp
+++ b/cores/esp8266/spiffs_api.cpp
@@ -57,21 +57,43 @@ public:
 
     DirImplPtr openDir(const char* path) override;
 
-    bool mount() override {
+    bool rename(const char* pathFrom, const char* pathTo) override {
+        char tmpNameFrom[SPIFFS_OBJ_NAME_LEN];
+        strlcpy(tmpNameFrom, pathFrom, sizeof(tmpNameFrom));
+        char tmpNameTo[SPIFFS_OBJ_NAME_LEN];
+        strlcpy(tmpNameTo, pathTo, sizeof(tmpNameTo));
+        auto rc = SPIFFS_rename(&_fs, tmpNameFrom, tmpNameTo);
+        if (rc != SPIFFS_OK) {
+            DEBUGV("SPIFFS_rename: rc=%d, from=`%s`, to=`%s`\r\n", rc,
+                pathFrom, pathTo);
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    bool remove(const char* path) override {
+        char tmpName[SPIFFS_OBJ_NAME_LEN];
+        strlcpy(tmpName, path, sizeof(tmpName));
+        auto rc = SPIFFS_remove(&_fs, tmpName);
+        if (rc != SPIFFS_OK) {
+            DEBUGV("SPIFFS_remove: rc=%d path=`%s`\r\n", rc, path);
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    bool begin() override {
         if (SPIFFS_mounted(&_fs) != 0) {
             return true;
         }
-
         if (_tryMount()) {
             return true;
         }
-
         auto rc = SPIFFS_format(&_fs);
         if (rc != SPIFFS_OK) {
             DEBUGV("SPIFFS_format: rc=%d, err=%d\r\n", rc, _fs.err_code);
             return false;
         }
-
         return _tryMount();
     }
 
@@ -252,6 +274,10 @@ public:
     {
     }
 
+    ~SPIFFSDirImpl() override {
+        SPIFFS_closedir(&_dir);
+    }
+
     FileImplPtr openFile(OpenMode openMode, AccessMode accessMode) override {
         if (!_valid) {
             return FileImplPtr();