diff --git a/plotly/offline/offline.py b/plotly/offline/offline.py
index 9d9c1e7394..031577c4d5 100644
--- a/plotly/offline/offline.py
+++ b/plotly/offline/offline.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 import time
 import webbrowser
 
+import six
 from requests.compat import json as _json
 
 import plotly
@@ -448,10 +449,37 @@ def plot(figure_or_data, show_link=True, link_text='Export to plot.ly',
         in a standalone HTML file.
         Use 'div' if you are embedding these graphs in an HTML file with
         other graphs or HTML markup, like a HTML report or an website.
-    include_plotlyjs (default=True) -- If True, include the plotly.js
-        source code in the output file or string.
-        Set as False if your HTML file already contains a copy of the plotly.js
+    include_plotlyjs (True | False | 'cdn' | 'directory' - default=True) --
+        Specifies how the plotly.js library is included in the output html
+        file or div string.
+
+        If True, a script tag containing the plotly.js source code (~3MB)
+        is included in the output.  HTML files generated with this option are
+        fully self-contained and can be used offline.
+
+        If 'cdn', a script tag that references the plotly.js CDN is included
+        in the output. HTML files generated with this option are about 3MB
+        smaller than those generated with include_plotlyjs=True, but they
+        require an active internet connection in order to load the plotly.js
         library.
+
+        If 'directory', a script tag is included that references an external
+        plotly.min.js bundle that is assumed to reside in the same
+        directory as the HTML file.  If output_type='file' then the
+        plotly.min.js bundle is copied into the directory of the resulting
+        HTML file. If a file named plotly.min.js already exists in the output
+        directory then this file is left unmodified and no copy is performed.
+        HTML files generated with this option can be used offline, but they
+        require a copy of the plotly.min.js bundle in the same directory.
+        This option is useful when many figures will be saved as HTML files in
+        the same directory because the plotly.js source code will be included
+        only once per output directory, rather than once per output file.
+
+        If False, no script tag referencing plotly.js is included. This is
+        useful when output_type='div' and the resulting div string will be
+        placed inside an HTML document that already loads plotly.js.  This
+        option is not advised when output_type='file' as it will result in
+        a non-functional html file.
     filename (default='temp-plot.html') -- The local filename to save the
         outputted chart to. If the filename already exists, it will be
         overwritten. This argument only applies if `output_type` is 'file'.
@@ -494,17 +522,25 @@ def plot(figure_or_data, show_link=True, link_text='Export to plot.ly',
     if width == '100%' or height == '100%':
         resize_script = _build_resize_script(plotdivid)
 
+    if isinstance(include_plotlyjs, six.string_types):
+        include_plotlyjs = include_plotlyjs.lower()
+
+    if include_plotlyjs == 'cdn':
+        plotly_js_script = """\
+<script src="https://cdn.plot.ly/plotly-latest.min.js"></script>"""
+    elif include_plotlyjs == 'directory':
+        plotly_js_script = '<script src="plotly.min.js"></script>'
+    elif include_plotlyjs:
+        plotly_js_script = ''.join([
+            '<script type="text/javascript">',
+            get_plotlyjs(),
+            '</script>',
+        ])
+    else:
+        plotly_js_script = ''
+
     if output_type == 'file':
         with open(filename, 'w') as f:
-            if include_plotlyjs:
-                plotly_js_script = ''.join([
-                    '<script type="text/javascript">',
-                    get_plotlyjs(),
-                    '</script>',
-                ])
-            else:
-                plotly_js_script = ''
-
             if image:
                 if image not in __IMAGE_FORMATS:
                     raise ValueError('The image parameter must be one of the '
@@ -532,6 +568,15 @@ def plot(figure_or_data, show_link=True, link_text='Export to plot.ly',
                 '</body>',
                 '</html>']))
 
+        # Check if we should copy plotly.min.js to output directory
+        if include_plotlyjs == 'directory':
+            bundle_path = os.path.join(
+                os.path.dirname(filename), 'plotly.min.js')
+
+            if not os.path.exists(bundle_path):
+                with open(bundle_path, 'w') as f:
+                    f.write(get_plotlyjs())
+
         url = 'file://' + os.path.abspath(filename)
         if auto_open:
             webbrowser.open(url)
@@ -539,19 +584,10 @@ def plot(figure_or_data, show_link=True, link_text='Export to plot.ly',
         return url
 
     elif output_type == 'div':
-        if include_plotlyjs:
-            return ''.join([
-                '<div>',
-                '<script type="text/javascript">',
-                get_plotlyjs(),
-                '</script>',
-                plot_html,
-                resize_script,
-                '</div>',
-            ])
-        else:
-            return ''.join([
+
+        return ''.join([
                 '<div>',
+                plotly_js_script,
                 plot_html,
                 resize_script,
                 '</div>',
diff --git a/plotly/tests/test_core/test_offline/test_offline.py b/plotly/tests/test_core/test_offline/test_offline.py
index 63184e34a3..429896a00b 100644
--- a/plotly/tests/test_core/test_offline/test_offline.py
+++ b/plotly/tests/test_core/test_offline/test_offline.py
@@ -30,12 +30,20 @@
 
 PLOTLYJS = plotly.offline.offline.get_plotlyjs()
 
+cdn_script = ('<script src="https://cdn.plot.ly/plotly-latest.min.js">'
+              '</script>')
+
+directory_script = '<script src="plotly.min.js"></script>'
+
 
 class PlotlyOfflineBaseTestCase(TestCase):
     def tearDown(self):
         # Some offline tests produce an html file. Make sure we clean up :)
         try:
             os.remove('temp-plot.html')
+            # Some tests that produce temp-plot.html]
+            # also produce plotly.min.js
+            os.remove('plotly.min.js')
         except OSError:
             pass
 
@@ -71,10 +79,109 @@ def test_default_plot_generates_expected_html(self):
         # and it's an <html> doc
         self.assertTrue(html.startswith('<html>') and html.endswith('</html>'))
 
-    def test_including_plotlyjs(self):
-        html = self._read_html(plotly.offline.plot(fig, include_plotlyjs=False,
-                                                   auto_open=False))
-        self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_truthy_html(self):
+        # For backwards compatibility all truthy values that aren't otherwise
+        # recognized are considered true
+        for include_plotlyjs in [True, 34, 'non-empty-str']:
+            html = self._read_html(plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='file',
+                auto_open=False))
+            self.assertIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_truthy_div(self):
+        # For backwards compatibility all truthy values that aren't otherwise
+        # recognized are considered true
+        for include_plotlyjs in [True, 34, 'non-empty-str']:
+            html = plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='div')
+            self.assertIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_false_html(self):
+        # For backwards compatibility all truthy values that aren't otherwise
+        # recognized are considered true
+        for include_plotlyjs in [False, 0, '']:
+            html = self._read_html(plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='file',
+                auto_open=False))
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_false_div(self):
+        for include_plotlyjs in [False, 0, '']:
+            html = plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='div')
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_cdn_html(self):
+        for include_plotlyjs in ['cdn', 'CDN', 'Cdn']:
+            html = self._read_html(plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='file',
+                auto_open=False))
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_cdn_div(self):
+        for include_plotlyjs in ['cdn', 'CDN', 'Cdn']:
+            html = plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='div')
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(directory_script, html)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_directory_html(self):
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists('plotly.min.js'))
+
+        for include_plotlyjs in ['directory', 'Directory', 'DIRECTORY']:
+            html = self._read_html(plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                auto_open=False))
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertIn(directory_script, html)
+
+        # plot creates plotly.min.js in the output directory
+        self.assertTrue(os.path.exists('plotly.min.js'))
+        with open('plotly.min.js', 'r') as f:
+            self.assertEqual(f.read(), PLOTLYJS)
+
+    def test_including_plotlyjs_directory_div(self):
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists('plotly.min.js'))
+
+        for include_plotlyjs in ['directory', 'Directory', 'DIRECTORY']:
+            html = plotly.offline.plot(
+                fig,
+                include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs,
+                output_type='div',
+                auto_open=False)
+
+            self.assertNotIn(PLOTLYJS, html)
+            self.assertNotIn(cdn_script, html)
+            self.assertIn(directory_script, html)
+
+        # plot does NOT create a plotly.min.js file in the output directory
+        # when output_type is div
+        self.assertFalse(os.path.exists('plotly.min.js'))
 
     def test_div_output(self):
         html = plotly.offline.plot(fig, output_type='div', auto_open=False)
@@ -103,7 +210,7 @@ def test_autoresizing(self):
     def test_autoresizing_div(self):
 
         # If width or height wasn't specified, then we add a window resizer
-        for include_plotlyjs in [True, False]:
+        for include_plotlyjs in [True, False, 'cdn', 'directory']:
             html = plotly.offline.plot(fig,
                                        output_type='div',
                                        include_plotlyjs=include_plotlyjs)