diff --git a/docs/mod-build-config.md b/docs/mod-build-config.md
index 329f5faf..14d167f2 100644
--- a/docs/mod-build-config.md
+++ b/docs/mod-build-config.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ The package...
 * detects your game install path;
 * adds the assembly references you need (with automatic support for Linux/Mac/Windows);
 * packages the mod into your `Mods` folder when you rebuild the code (configurable);
+* creates a release zip (configurable);
 * configures Visual Studio to enable debugging into the code when the game is running (_Windows only_);
 * adds C# analyzers to warn for Stardew Valley-specific issues.
 
@@ -17,25 +18,21 @@ The package...
 * [Release notes](#release-notes)
 
 ## Install
-**When creating a new mod:**
-
-1. Create an empty library project.
+1. Create an empty library project.<br /><small>(For an existing project, remove references to `Microsoft.Xna.*`, `MonoGame`, Stardew Valley,
+   `StardewModdingAPI`, and `xTile` instead.)</small>
 2. Reference the [`Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig` NuGet package](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig).
 3. [Write your code](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Creating_a_SMAPI_mod).
 4. Compile on any platform.
 
-**When migrating an existing mod:**
-
-1. Remove any project references to `Microsoft.Xna.*`, `MonoGame`, Stardew Valley,
-   `StardewModdingAPI`, and `xTile`.
-2. Reference the [`Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig` NuGet package](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Pathoschild.Stardew.ModBuildConfig).
-3. Compile on any platform.
-
 ## Configure
 ### Deploy files into the `Mods` folder
-By default, your mod will be copied into the game's `Mods` folder (with a subfolder matching your
-project name) when you rebuild the code. The package will automatically include your
-`manifest.json`, any `i18n` files, and the build output.
+Your mod is copied into the game's `Mods` folder (with a subfolder matching your project name)
+when you rebuild the code. The package automatically includes...
+
+* any build output;
+* your `manifest.json`;
+* any [`i18n` files](https://stardewvalleywiki.com/Modding:Translations);
+* the `assets` folder if present.
 
 To add custom files to the mod folder, just [add them to the build output](https://stackoverflow.com/a/10828462/262123).
 (If your project references another mod, make sure the reference is [_not_ marked 'copy local'](https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/t1zz5y8c(v=vs.100).aspx).)
@@ -52,9 +49,9 @@ If you don't want to deploy the mod automatically, you can add this:
 ```
 
 ### Create release zip
-By default, a zip file will be created in the build output when you rebuild the code. This zip file
-contains all the files needed to share your mod in the recommended format for uploading to Nexus
-Mods or other sites.
+A zip file is also created in the build output folder when you rebuild the code. This contains the
+same files deployed to the `Mods` folder, in the recommended format for uploading to Nexus Mods or
+other sites.
 
 You can change the zipped folder name (and zip name) by adding this above the first
 `</PropertyGroup>` in your `.csproj`:
diff --git a/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/Framework/ModFileManager.cs b/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/Framework/ModFileManager.cs
index 4af3100f..6c11b0fe 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/Framework/ModFileManager.cs
+++ b/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/Framework/ModFileManager.cs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ using System.Linq;
 using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
 using StardewModdingAPI.Toolkit.Serialisation;
 using StardewModdingAPI.Toolkit.Serialisation.Models;
+using StardewModdingAPI.Toolkit.Utilities;
 
 namespace StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Framework
 {
@@ -61,18 +62,33 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Framework
                 hasProjectTranslations = true;
             }
 
+            // project assets folder
+            bool hasAssetsFolder = false;
+            DirectoryInfo assetsFolder = new DirectoryInfo(Path.Combine(projectDir, "assets"));
+            if (assetsFolder.Exists)
+            {
+                foreach (FileInfo file in assetsFolder.EnumerateFiles("*", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
+                {
+                    string relativePath = PathUtilities.GetRelativePath(projectDir, file.FullName);
+                    this.Files[relativePath] = file;
+                }
+                hasAssetsFolder = true;
+            }
+
             // build output
             DirectoryInfo buildFolder = new DirectoryInfo(targetDir);
             foreach (FileInfo file in buildFolder.EnumerateFiles("*", SearchOption.AllDirectories))
             {
-                // get relative paths
-                string relativePath = file.FullName.Replace(buildFolder.FullName, "");
-                string relativeDirPath = file.Directory.FullName.Replace(buildFolder.FullName, "");
+                // get path info
+                string relativePath = PathUtilities.GetRelativePath(buildFolder.FullName, file.FullName);
+                string[] segments = PathUtilities.GetSegments(relativePath);
 
-                // prefer project manifest/i18n files
+                // prefer project manifest/i18n/assets files
                 if (hasProjectManifest && this.EqualsInvariant(relativePath, this.ManifestFileName))
                     continue;
-                if (hasProjectTranslations && this.EqualsInvariant(relativeDirPath, "i18n"))
+                if (hasProjectTranslations && this.EqualsInvariant(segments[0], "i18n"))
+                    continue;
+                if (hasAssetsFolder && this.EqualsInvariant(segments[0], "assets"))
                     continue;
 
                 // handle ignored files
@@ -149,6 +165,8 @@ namespace StardewModdingAPI.ModBuildConfig.Framework
         /// <param name="other">The string to compare with.</param>
         private bool EqualsInvariant(string str, string other)
         {
+            if (str == null)
+                return other == null;
             return str.Equals(other, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase);
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/package.nuspec b/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/package.nuspec
index d054fd1a..b308413f 100644
--- a/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/package.nuspec
+++ b/src/SMAPI.ModBuildConfig/package.nuspec
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
     <description>Automates the build configuration for crossplatform Stardew Valley SMAPI mods. For Stardew Valley 1.3 or later.</description>
     <releaseNotes>
       2.2.1:
+      - If the project contains an `assets` folder, its contents are now included in the mod automatically.
       - Dropped support for very old versions of SMAPI and Visual Studio.
       - Fixed `Newtonsoft.Json.pdb` included in release zips when Json.NET is referenced directly.
     </releaseNotes>